SKETCHBOOK

Alex Snellgrove on Coogee Beach, Sydney.

A resident of Coogee in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Australian artist Alex Snellgrove derives much of her inspiration from her coastal surrounds. “I am interested in the connection between humans and the ocean—the magnetic attraction the ocean has for many—and the physical freedom Australians enjoy on the beach,” she says. “The play of light on water is also endlessly fascinating and a real challenge to capture.” In this painting, entitled Beachcomber, she depicts Coogee Beach in winter during a king tide. “These exceptionally high tides sweep away all the sand that normally covers most of the rocks you see here, revealing serpentine shapes created by thousands of years of erosion. They’re very beautiful and colorful. King tides also wash up interesting debris—just the thing for you beachcombers out there.”