Textured abstract paintings on canvas
Original acrylic seascapes and nature studies by British artist Carl West — each one built in layers of rich, tactile texture.
The artist
Carl West is a British abstract artist whose work is drawn, again and again, back to the sea. Working in acrylic on canvas, he builds each painting up in layers — using a palette knife and every part of the brush to create a surface you can almost feel.
The result is a body of work that is less about photographic likeness and more about sensation: the surge of a breaking wave, the warmth of a calm evening sea, the way light ripples across shallow tropical water.
Read his story
Selected works
A few favourites from the collection. Every piece is a one-of-a-kind original, painted in acrylic on canvas.
The rough surf breaking at Fistral Beach, Cornwall — fierce, textured brush strokes carrying the evocative power of the sea.
A late June sunset over an unusually calm sea at Watergate Bay — soft, impressionistic texture that seems to put out a warmth.
The clear, light-green shallows of the Whitsunday Islands, Australia — a textured study of how the light plays across the water.
Explore by theme
Waves, surf, storms and still evenings — the heart of the collection. Breaking Waves, Crest, Purple Skies, Red Horizon, Shepherd's Delight and more, each capturing a different mood of the water.
Sea & Water paintingsAway from the shore, the same tactile approach turns to the natural world — vivid green leaves, forest canopies and the geckos spotted on a honeymoon in Cuba.
Textured & Nature paintingsGood to know
Richly textured abstract paintings in acrylic on canvas. The work focuses on the sea — waves, water and light — alongside nature studies such as leaves, forest canopies and geckos. Every piece is a one-of-a-kind original.
Each canvas is built up in layers, with heavy texture created using a palette knife and all parts of the brush. Many pieces are finished with a gloss or sheen that catches the light, so the painting seems to change through the day.
The Cornish coast — especially Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay — is a constant inspiration, along with travels to Cuba, Thailand and the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. Each piece tries to capture the colour, movement and feeling of water.
Yes — if you'd like to know more about any piece in the gallery, please get in touch via the contact page.
Get in touch
Whether you have a question about a painting or simply want to talk about the collection, Carl would be glad to hear from you.
Contact Carl West