Nature’s Fortress

I’ve lived in Norfolk since 2002 and enjoy the big skies, the sea and wide expanses of beach but when I turn my back to the sea, the artistic opportunities abound. The eroding cliffs with their endless texture, multiple shades of brown, green and ochre and incredible shapes, almost cubist effects, translate well to abstraction and invite exploration of different colour palettes.

My recent paintings explore erosion of the cliffs and landslides at Happisburgh and Overstrand in Norfolk. The sea’s current has shaped the landscape for centuries and left behind ever-changing inspiration. I am captivated by the fragile beauty of the eroding landscape with its distressed textures, layered shapes and colours. And I’m keen to highlight the impacts as villagers lose their homes to coastal erosion.

My recent collection At the Cliff Edge is my personal tribute to all those working to protect and support those affected by coastal erosion. After exhibiting at Chequer House Gallery in King’s Lynn, I took my paintings to the Church coffee morning at Lessingham and Hempstead with Eccles as I wanted to give something back and share my work with the people who live with these eroding cliffs. It was a hugely successful morning and it was lovely to be part of this community event.

I’ve made some wonderful connections with people through this work and built my understanding of the issues. I am proud that the Happisburgh Coastal Erosion Collective chose to use my exhibition poster as their logo on Facebook. I was also delighted to be interviewed by a BBC Radio 4 journalist who is compiling a piece on coastal erosion as there is a Parliamentary committee looking at the issue. Art can change perspectives!

I now propose building on my recent work and am working on producing a large-scale canvas of a coastal erosion painting for the first time for Wighton26: undercurrent. I’ve hugely enjoyed the North Norfolk Exhibition Project’s last two exhibitions in Wighton church. The impressive architecture and size of the church is a wonderful environment for artworks. I’m excited to be part of the next exhibition there which runs from 1 July-3 August 2026.

Originally a weaver, (B.A.Hons Textile Design, Nottingham Trent University), I now create oil paintings and borrow heavily from my weaving background. My paintings are constructed and the use of colour, texture and repeat patterns continues to excite me. My work is often abstract and is characterised by the joy of mark making and balancing colours. I consider myself a painter of moods and I convey atmosphere, leaving the viewer to create their own narrative.

Elizabeth Inger