Pieces & Place
Fragments of memory from the Cornish coast
Made over six months of discovery, this new collection began with my time at the St Ives School of Painting and grew into something incredibly 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.
Each piece is anchored to a place, a beach that holds part of my story: Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Porthmeor and Carbis Bay in St Ives, Crantock, Lusty Glaze, Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth, Fistral, Treyarnon Bay and Porthcurno. Together they make a map of the places that shaped me, and an invitation to find the ones that hold your own memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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The collection includes Daymer Bay, Polzeath, Porthmeor and Carbis Bay in St Ives, Crantock, Lusty Glaze, Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth, Fistral, Treyarnon Bay and Porthcurno.
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Every painting combines acrylic with reclaimed and upcycled materials, including lace from the artist’s grandmother’s tablecloth, a vintage lace doily, an old silk dress and silk blouse, vintage Levi’s jeans, hessian coffee bean sacks, Egyptian cotton thread offcuts, tea bag paper and surfboard fibreglass offcuts. Several pieces also include rope, net and sand gathered from the beaches they show.
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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.
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Paintings range from 20cm x 20cm to the 122cm x 59cm Daymer Bay statement piece. Prices start from £250, with payment plans available through Klarna and Partial.ly.
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Yes. Gemma offers studio visits in Cornwall and virtual viewings by video call. Every painting also comes with a full money-back guarantee.
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UK delivery is free and fully insured. International shipping is available; contact Gemma for a quote before ordering.
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Yes. Gemma creates bespoke textured paintings of any beach or coastal memory. Find out more about commissions.