‘Midnight Tide’ on display at New House Art Space
Photo by Kayt Webster-Brown
I'm delighted to have ‘Midnight Tide’ included as part of ‘Out of the Blue’, an exhibition exploring the many meanings, moods and possibilities of the colour blue. The exhibition runs for a month at New House Art Space, up until 30th August, bringing together a selection of local artists. For some, it’s their first time exhibiting! I was so pleased to help nurture one such Artist, who created the dotted squid drawing (below) in one of my Drink & Draw sessions.
About the theme, the gallery writes:
From Lana Del Ray to Joni Mitchell, Blue has long been an evocative colour provoking mystery, mood, and tone in Western pop. culture.
Blue can also symbolise links to spiritual realms, from the blue skins of Hindu deities Vishnu, Krishna & Rama representing the vastness of ocean and sky, the sacred colour ‘Mayan Blue’ representing rain, fertility and divinity; to the divine blue hair of Buddha in Tibetan culture.
Out of the Blue conjures the all encompassing swell of the world’s oceans to our planet’s place in an infinite universe - full of possibilities. An unexpected visit from a friend, a change in our everyday routine, a moment in time to treasure.
For me, the theme felt like a natural fit for ‘Midnight Tide’. The painting explores the extraordinary life cycle of the octopus through layers of deep, jewel-toned blues and greens, with flashes of purple shimmering through the composition. Oil paint, acrylics, spray paint and oil pastels are combined with embedded netting and bold brushwork to create a richly textured underwater world.
The painting follows the octopus through its life cycle, with tally marks tracing its passage through time. The final ten, lighter marks represent the mother octopus guarding her eggs for up to ten months without feeding herself, marking the end of her extraordinary life. A solitary green thread winds through the painting, symbolising the single-minded purpose of this semelparous creature as she devotes the final chapter of her life to protecting her offspring.
One of my favourite things about ‘Out of the Blue’ has been seeing just how differently each Artist has interpreted the same starting point. Although the colour blue provides a common thread throughout the exhibition, the resulting works are incredibly varied in subject, style, mood and meaning. Some pieces feel calm and contemplative, others vibrant and energetic, while others explore much more unexpected associations with the theme. It makes for a really interesting exhibition, where each artwork offers a different way of thinking about what ‘blue’ can mean.
The opening night was a brilliant opportunity to see the exhibition come together, surrounded by the Artists, gallerists, visitors, and plenty of lively conversation. A huge thanks to Kayt Webster-Brown, who took the excellent event photographs featured in the carousel above.
If you're in Guildford before the end of August, I'd definitely recommend popping into New House Art Space to see the show for yourself. It’s fascinating to see how a single theme can send us Artists off in completely different directions!
Out of the Blue
📍 New House Art Space, Guildford
📅 Exhibition runs until 30 August 2026
