AZURE SEA and SKY | Martyn Perryman & Jenny Hirst

“O azure realm! O realm of azure, light, youth, and happiness! I have beheld thee…in my dreams.”
From ‘The Azure Realm’ by Ivan Turgenev.
Translated from the Russian by Isabel Hapgood.

Porthminster Gallery, St Ives, is delighted to present 'Azure Sea and Sky', a joint exhibition of new St Ives Bay paintings by acclaimed artists Martyn Perryman and Jenny Hirst. The exhibition captures the luminous spirit, ever-shifting weather, and dramatic horizons of the Cornish coastline – a fitting tribute to St Ives’ artistic heritage and its magnetic pull for landscape painters.

Jenny Hirst

Inspired by her travels and especially by the unique light and landscape of West Cornwall, Jenny Hirst’s paintings capture the essence of the ever-changing weather and the magical light of West Cornwall. Working with layered acrylic paint on board, canvas, or panel, Jenny’s process is one of discovery – scraping, rubbing, and building texture to reveal hidden depths. Her expressive works are less about exact geography and more about emotional resonance – a visual echo of a place, mood, and memory.

Jenny was born in Cheshire in 1954 and pursued a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design in 2002 after a successful 9-year career in interior design. After an exhibition of contemporary art in Battersea, London, Jenny has exhibited widely across the UK and internationally, including at major art fairs in Manchester, London, Bristol, New York, Asia, and South Africa. Notably, her work is held in collections including The Langham Hotel, London. Jenny is now represented by galleries in St Ives, London, Derbyshire, and Cheshire. Jenny lives and works from her home in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Martyn Perryman

Martyn Perryman’s seascapes are marked by a deep sense of tranquility and thoughtful simplicity. Rooted in his regular walks along the north cliffs and St Ives Bay, his works – often minimalist and expansive – invite the viewer to reflect on the stillness and depth of nature.

“My intention is to produce paintings that trigger a past visual experience – to create the calmness and clarity of mind that can be achieved when looking out to a horizon. I invite the viewer to take time to join me in this contemplative position, enabling the consolidation of past events and the consideration of future possibilities.” Martyn’s work in oil on canvas and paper is shaped by a careful return to familiar viewpoints, translating sketch and study into refined studio compositions.

Born in Bath in 1963, Martyn left school in 1981 to work as a studio assistant to the sculptor John Rivera, before setting up his own display company working with stores in the West End of London. In 2000, Martyn started taking art classes that later led to a First-Class Honours degree in Fine Art and Design from Wimbledon College of Art in 2007. Fresh out of art college, he began exhibiting with Porthminster Gallery – ‘a turning point in my career’, says Martyn. Now in private and corporate collections throughout the UK, Europe, Australia, and the US, Martyn’s work has also been exhibited with the Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Gallery, London. Martyn now lives and works in North-West Cornwall, where his home and studio are just a few minutes from St Ives Bay.