West Wittering: ‘Through the Tamarisk’

A painting of a path through dark tamarisks to the bright sunny beach at the popular beach of West Wittering. Acrylics on canvas – 50 x 76 cm

£280.00

West Wittering is a popular family beach in West Sussex, and an important feeding ground for birds, particularly a large over-wintering population of Brent Geese. The area of sand and saltmarsh is considerable.

These long low beaches with dunes have a particular quality of light that I think of as Venetian. In certain weather conditions, the boundaries between sand, sea and sky are ambiguous – just as they are in Venice. There is good contrast in this view. The convoluted swirling tufts of dark tamarisk frame the bright view of the distant beach. I love these natural frames, they are enticing portals to different worlds. Within the space of a few footsteps, one is transported to a different world.

I am not certain of the species of Tamarisk, but it is probably the Salt Cedar (Tamarix ramosissima). These extraordinary plants “have long tap roots that allow them to intercept deep water tables and exploit natural water resources. They are able to limit competition from other plants by taking up salt from deep groundwater, accumulating it in their foliage, and from there depositing it in the surface soil where it builds up concentrations temporarily detrimental to some plants. The salt is washed away during heavy rains.”*

In the United States, there are problems with Tamarisk plants. Once again the supreme adaptability of nature is described as ‘invasive’. It is another example of human hubris that we should wage war on plants and animals that we introduced ourselves.

If you like this painting, you might also enjoy this view of Sark seen from Herm or this view of Holkham Beach.

* Source: Wikipedia