Artist takes inspiration from Devon coastline

West Country seascapes are the inspiration for artist Ella Slade’s work. Chloe Parkman reports

AYOUNG artist located in one of the Devon’s tourism hotspots is quite literally making waves as she creates stunning seascape paintings inspired by the county’s coastline.

Ella Slade, 24, first opened her business Ella’s at Exmouth’s Sideshore Development back in December 2020. Her business opened during the peak of the global pandemic, but despite those challenges, Ella’s continues to thrive, attracting locals and tourists who flock to check out her incredible artwork.

Ella said: “I opened my shop just after the lockdown, but then we went back into lockdown during Christmas, so it was right in the peak of Covid really. That was quite a challenge.

“My business is located at the Sideshore Development which is an amazing location. The development is very sustainable in its ethos and it’s just great to be in a location with such an amazing buzz. There’s a great sense of community down here and it’s a great space to gather. It’s very fresh for Exmouth and it’s definitely an asset to the town’s seafront.

“The business I have is multi-purpose, not only is it a studio but it’s also a gallery. It’s more of an experience to walk in here I think, it’s a process which customers can see from start to finish.”

Ella first fell in love with painting seascapes when she was in school completing her fine arts GCSE, before going on to open the business in Exmouth, and more recently having her artwork displayed at Lympstone Manor. She said: “I started my first seascape for my fine art GCSE which I loved and it really was the start off for anything long term in the arts industry. I went on to do fashion and textiles at Exeter College, before going to Manchester School of Art to study BA Textiles.”

The young artist and entrepreneur also transformed the development’s ‘Treasure Chest’ by painting a beautiful mural on it to fit in with the Exmouth seascape.

However, Exmouth is not the only seaside town Ella takes inspiration from, as she says she is trying to venture across different parts of the county to capture its stunning scenery.

I take inspiration from the Devon coast. I love painting big wavescapes, it’s really inspirational ELLA SLADE

She said: “I have only been open here for just over one year but I am slowly going around to the different locations that I have wanted to explore.

“I take inspiration from all of the Devon coastline, the Jurassic coastline and North Devon as well.

“I love North Devon and try to go up there whenever I can and have that quick escapism to the crashing waves. I love painting big wave scapes, it’s really inspirational to me up there to see a different type of movement as well as to see the flat waters down here. There is always something going on down here with the water sports and the boats coming in which is a huge inspiration for me.

“I am really concentrating on this East Devon coastline which I think is absolutely breathtaking and I’m just trying to get that down on paper.

“This week I delivered to Michael Caines at Lympstone Manor which was really exciting for me. He is really supporting local artists there which is excellent as it’s not just supporting local, but also supporting me as a younger artist. It’s such an honour for me to have my work on the wall there.”

Ella’s business offers everything from her artwork to locally made homeware items. For more information on Ella’s, visit thewebsite at ellas

Girl Behind the Lens Artist Ella Slade, who is making a splash with her seascape paintings inspired by the Devon coast