Night-time Paintings of Convenience Stores By Great Yarmouth Artist Jane Hall

The lights in convenience shop window might seem like an unlikely subject for art, but not to Norfolk artist Jane Hall.

Norfolk Art Exhibitions

Jane Hall's 'Postcards From Great Yarmouth' series of paintings take an unusual and highly individual look at the seaside town in which she lives and works. Rather than focusing on the colourful seafront sights for which the town is best known, they take as their subjects the back streets and side streets of Yarmouth. It is here Jane finds her artistic inspiration in the town's many convenience stores, kebab shops, Chinese takeaways and launderettes. And what makes these buildings stand out to her? It appears to be the hopeful glimmer of light.

Great Yarmouth Gallery

That glimmer of light might be coming from the interior of a convenience store, or it might be the glowing signage illuminating an otherwise bleak-looking fish and chip shop doorway. But it always suffuses the painting with an ethereal glow and acts like a beacon in the murky darkness - a beacon designed to pull the punters in to buy a portion of chips, a can of lager or whatever is on special offer that day.

The 'Postcards From Great Yarmouth' series of original paintings provides an exciting contrast to Jane's more familiar pictures of ice cream cones and amusement arcades. They show the real side of Yarmouth - the one where the natives live and which the holidaymakers seldom see. It is a world of grit and darkness, but always with hopeful glimmers of intense light, which these paintings capture perfectly.

Jane Hall's 'Postcards From Great Yarmouth' are currently on show at Harvey Wilson's Secret Gallery, 33a Market Row, Great Yarmouth, as part of the 'Seaside Seductions' exhibition running till September 9th. They can also be viewed online at www.jane-hall.co.uk.