Pieces & Place
Fragments of memory from the Cornish coast
Pieces & Place is a new collection of original textured seascape paintings by Cornish artist Gemma Lessinger. Each piece is made from fragments of lace, hessian and reclaimed fabric, and anchored to a Cornish beach that holds a personal memory, from Daymer Bay and Porthmeor to Crantock and Porthcurno.
The Collection
Pieces & Place is a collection made over six months of discovery. It began with my time at the St Ives School of Painting and grew into something more personal: a willingness to bring all of myself to the canvas. My years in fashion, my love of this coastline, and the different seasons of my life all found their way into the work.
Each painting is built from pieces. Scraps of lace, hessian, netting and frayed cotton are worked into the paint the way the tide works into the sand. Like the things the sea leaves behind, they are fragments of memory, gathered and given a new shape.
And each piece is anchored to a place: a beach that holds part of my story; Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Porthmeor, St Ives, Carbis Bay, St Ives, Crantock, Lusty Glaze, Newquay, Mawgan Porth, North Fistral, Porthcurno. Together they make a map of the places that shaped me, and an invitation to find the ones that hold your own memories.
The statement piece of Pieces & Place, a collection of fragments of memory from the Cornish coast.
“The In-Between Hours” captures Daymer Bay, the sheltered beach in the Camel Estuary between Rock and Polzeath, where the water barely breaks before it spreads softly across the wide, flat sand.
At 122cm x 59cm, it’s the largest piece in the collection and the most personal. For ten years I worked in fashion at Ann’s Cottage, whose head office was just a short drive from Daymer, and most lunch breaks were spent here, watching the tide slip in and out of the estuary. Those hours between meetings and deadlines became some of my calmest, and this painting holds them.
Every material in this piece carries a story. The shoreline is pieced together from fragments of coffee bean sack from a local roaster. The ocean is layered with offcuts of a silk blouse and surfboard fibreglass from a shaper friend from my Ann’s Cottage days. The soft white wash of the wave is made from pieces of rope I found washed up on Daymer Bay, cut up and mixed into acrylic paint with a few grains of Daymer sand, so a little of the beach itself lives in the painting.
Acrylic and reclaimed, upcycled materials on 122cm x 59cm canvas
Framed in a handmade white shadow tray frame, crafted in Newquay
Payment plans available — pay in 3 with Klarna, or spread the cost over up to 6 months with Pay in Instalments via Partial.ly.
Full money-back guarantee — if the piece doesn’t work in your home once it arrives, I’ll help you find the right one, or refund you in full.
Would you like to see this piece in person before you buy? I’m happy to arrange a studio visit or a video call for a virtual viewing — just contact me.
Delivery: Free, fully insured UK courier delivery, with dispatch within 10 working days. Need it sooner? Just let me know. International shipping is available — contact me for a quote before ordering.
The statement piece of Pieces & Place, a collection of fragments of memory from the Cornish coast.
“The In-Between Hours” captures Daymer Bay, the sheltered beach in the Camel Estuary between Rock and Polzeath, where the water barely breaks before it spreads softly across the wide, flat sand.
At 122cm x 59cm, it’s the largest piece in the collection and the most personal. For ten years I worked in fashion at Ann’s Cottage, whose head office was just a short drive from Daymer, and most lunch breaks were spent here, watching the tide slip in and out of the estuary. Those hours between meetings and deadlines became some of my calmest, and this painting holds them.
Every material in this piece carries a story. The shoreline is pieced together from fragments of coffee bean sack from a local roaster. The ocean is layered with offcuts of a silk blouse and surfboard fibreglass from a shaper friend from my Ann’s Cottage days. The soft white wash of the wave is made from pieces of rope I found washed up on Daymer Bay, cut up and mixed into acrylic paint with a few grains of Daymer sand, so a little of the beach itself lives in the painting.
Acrylic and reclaimed, upcycled materials on 122cm x 59cm canvas
Framed in a handmade white shadow tray frame, crafted in Newquay
Payment plans available — pay in 3 with Klarna, or spread the cost over up to 6 months with Pay in Instalments via Partial.ly.
Full money-back guarantee — if the piece doesn’t work in your home once it arrives, I’ll help you find the right one, or refund you in full.
Would you like to see this piece in person before you buy? I’m happy to arrange a studio visit or a video call for a virtual viewing — just contact me.
Delivery: Free, fully insured UK courier delivery, with dispatch within 10 working days. Need it sooner? Just let me know. International shipping is available — contact me for a quote before ordering.
Bringing a Piece Home
Payment plans available — pay in 3 with Klarna, or spread the cost over up to 6 months with Pay in Instalments via Partial.ly.
Full money-back guarantee — if the piece doesn't work in your home once it arrives, I'll help you find the right one, or refund you in full.
See it in person — I'm happy to arrange a studio visit or a video call for a virtual viewing. [Contact me]
Delivery — free, fully insured UK courier delivery. International shipping is available on request.
Your own beach — if your special place isn't here, I can create a piece just for you. [Discover commissions →]
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Pieces & Place is a collection of original textured seascape paintings by Cornish artist Gemma Lessinger. Each painting is made from fragments of fabric and reclaimed materials, and is anchored to a Cornish beach that holds a personal memory.
-
The collection includes Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Porthmeor and Carbis Bay in St Ives, Crantock, Lusty Glaze, Mawgan Porth, North Fistral and Porthcurno.
-
The paintings combine acrylic with lace, hessian, netting and frayed cotton, alongside [sand, surfboard fibreglass offcuts and tea bag paper – confirm]. Every material is reclaimed or upcycled.
-
The collection began at the St Ives School of Painting and grew over six months into an exploration of memory and place. It draws on Gemma's ten years in fashion, her regular sea swims at Crantock and the beaches that have shaped her life.
-
Paintings range from 20cm squares to the 122cm Daymer Bay statement piece. Prices start from £250, with payment plans available through Klarna and Partial.ly.
-
Yes. Gemma offers studio visits in Cornwall and virtual viewings by video call. Every painting also comes with a full money-back guarantee.
-
UK delivery is free and fully insured. International shipping is available; contact Gemma for a quote before ordering.
-
Yes. Gemma creates bespoke textured paintings of any beach or coastal memory. Find out more about commissions here