Not Orkney, but still the Sea

Finding inspiration at Belhaven Beach

There’s something about being near the sea that resets my whole system. A quiet recalibration. Most of you know how much I long for Orkney; that wild, weather-carved landscape will always feel like home. But recently, I found myself standing at the edge of another stretch of water, and it stirred something I didn’t realise I needed.

I visited Belhaven Beach, near Dunbar, to clear my head and soak in some inspiration. It’s a wide, open sweep of sand, framed by rolling dunes and shifting skies. The kind of place where the clouds never sit still, and neither do your thoughts. The iconic ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ wasn’t submerged when I arrived (unlike previous visits when I’ve had to wait to cross).

There’s magic in the ordinariness of it. Seagulls floating overhead, the wind carrying the salt into your skin. It reminded me that inspiration doesn’t always come crashing in with some grand, cinematic moment. Sometimes, it’s quieter a fragment of light on water, the way wet sand holds the memory of footprints, or how the sea flattens everything, reminding you how small and temporary we really are.

I sketched a little, made some notes, but mostly just looked. The colours were muted but endless: rich sand, weathered greens, silvery and deep blues blending into each other like brushstrokes bleeding across wet paper. It’s different from Orkney, but still tangled with that same pull of the sea, that same ancient rhythm I always seem to come back to in my work.

I’ll be weaving some of that quiet coastal energy into new pieces over the next few months. If you’re curious, keep an eye on @jadestoutart I’ll be sharing sketches and process snippets as they evolve.

Sometimes, you have to follow the tide, even if it doesn’t take you home it might still take you somewhere you need to be.

Jade

www.jadestout.co.uk