“I MUST go down to the sea again” is the theme for a new series of sea/seaside/boat paintings by local artist Tony Dexter on sale from The Gallery at The Art Shop on Hawksworth Street, Ilkley from Monday, August 17.

“Old often beached wooden fishing boats that now lay forlorn and no longer sea worthy in Filey, boats on the Isle of Mull and on the Isle of Lewis have long been inspiration for my paintings.” said Tony. “Battered, crumbling and weather distressed these craft may seem a sad sight but their flaking paint and exposed wood bring a vibrancy and variety of colour and attraction. There’s a beauty in their demise – great interesting hulks of wood lying like creatures from the deep aching to return to the sea. I regularly return to these fishing boats as inspiration. They reflect a time past but my paintings reflect their vivid and colourful future.”

There are 15 paintings on sale in the Gallery on Hawksworth Street each 76 x 76 cms (30”x 30”) painted in acrylic on block canvas, varnished, signed, labelled and strung ready for hanging.

Gallery at The Art Shop owner Tim Tennant said: “We are delighted to invite Tony’s work back to the Gallery for a third time. As well as being eye-catching works of art the subjects connect with our customers and visitors alike particularly their own recollections of the coast and the sea.”