Introducing Falmouth Artist: Maggie Cochran

What first drew you to painting, and how has your artistic journey evolved over the years?

I have always painted and been creative but didn’t find time to take it seriously until my children were in their teens. I then took on a studio and began doing Open Studios, running workshops and selling my art. When my daughter was applying for university she persuaded me to follow my dream and apply to do a Fine Art degree, which I did over six years, working alongside it. Fast forward to now and I am living the dream. I moved to live full time in Falmouth earlier this year, have a studio in Penryn, paintings in galleries in Cornwall and further afield, and spend my days painting and sharing my love of art with others.

Much of your work captures the movement and mood of the Cornish coast – tell me about your inspirations.

My inspiration is the sea, always the sea and how it makes me feel to be there. I feel a need to record it, to hang on to those emotions, to explore them. The sea in Cornwall and the quality of the light here has a magic that always captivates me. I am endlessly fascinated by the tracks and marks left behind on the white sand beaches by the outgoing tide. There is a sense of time passing, of history, in these traces that remain. There is also the feeling of capturing a moment in time. I try to capture a sense of how it felt to be there, on that beach, at that time, in that weather.

Tell me about some of the pieces that will be on display in the hotel.

‘Immersed’ is a large immersive turquoise painting that draws the viewer in. Turquoise has many spiritual qualities and is said to soothe and calm, to heal, to bring good luck and to ward off negativity. I just love it as a colour as it reminds me of the clarity of the Cornish sea on a bright summer day. I’ve had this painting hanging opposite my bed for a while and loved waking up to it and seeing it in different lights. But it’s time to let it go, to let the energy flow. Another favourite is ‘Evening Pinks’. We get such beautiful sunrises and sunsets here in Cornwall and so many pink skies.

When people view your paintings, what feelings or stories do you hope they take away with them?

People often say how calming they find my paintings, even my stormy ones! I want them to feel a sense of being on a Cornish beach with the sound of the waves and the magical coastal light. I hope they can feel immersed in my paintings and feel that sense of meditative calm that being by the sea can evoke. My paintings are about my love affair with Cornwall and I hope my passion shines through in them and that they transport the viewer to the Cornish coast.

Can you talk us through your creative process – from the moment a scene catches your eye to the final brushstroke?

I walk by the sea most days and take endless photos – most of which I never look at. The act of taking a photo is enough. What caught my eye? Why did I feel drawn to capture that moment? What was it about the light, the movement of the sea, the clouds, the distant headlands, the wind in the trees at that moment, that made me want to remember it? Back in the studio I choose my colours, often working with a limited palette of only two or three colours. Sometimes I feel drawn to soft pinks, other times to deep russets and blues. It’s often to do with how I feel that day. My painting style is process-led. I don’t start out with a clear idea of what the finished painting will look like. I apply some paint, work it in, scrape some off, put more on and continue in this way, working very meditatively and freely until I get to a stage where I feel the painting says what I want it to say.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to begin painting but doesn’t quite know where to start?

I think it helps to not focus too much on what you are hoping to achieve but to just enjoy the process and see what happens. If you are trying a new medium it can be helpful to do a workshop or online course to get you started. Don’t give up too easily. Keep at it and practice really does help you improve as you become familiar with your tools and ways of working. Experiment until you find a way that works for you. Don’t worry what others think – be true to yourself, paint from your heart, and love what you do.

You’ll be hosting workshops at The Greenbank from Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th February – what can guests expect from the experience?

I provide all the materials when I teach. I think this helps take some of the pressure off. If you have had to buy lots of expensive materials yourself for a workshop it puts pressure on to achieve a ‘good’ result. It’s much easier to relax and play when everything is provided. I share what I use, what works for me and also discuss other options. I always do a number of demonstrations in a workshop and encourage participants to just experiment and not think too much about what they are doing. We will be playing with colour, with different tools, with layers and memories. We will not be painting ‘a picture’. I’m always amazed – and delighted – by the variety of work produced in a workshop when everyone is using the same materials and starting from the same place.

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Explore The Greenbank

Events Read more about Every Month: Drink and Draw

Introducing Falmouth Artist: Maggie Cochran

What first drew you to painting, and how has your artistic journey evolved over the years?

Much of your work captures the movement and mood of the Cornish coast – tell me about your inspirations.

Tell me about some of the pieces that will be on display in the hotel.

When people view your paintings, what feelings or stories do you hope they take away with them?

Can you talk us through your creative process – from the moment a scene catches your eye to the final brushstroke?

What advice would you give to someone who wants to begin painting but doesn’t quite know where to start?

You’ll be hosting workshops at The Greenbank from Monday 2nd to Sunday 8th February – what can guests expect from the experience?

Explore The Greenbank

Every Month: Drink and Draw

Dessert’s On Us

Cornish Winter Getaway

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