Untitled (Study of Chevrons and Boats)

This lively mixed media drawing brings together many of the motifs that define Terry Frost’s mature work. Sweeping crescents, floating circles and boldly drawn chevrons combine to create a rhythmic composition that reflects the artist’s lifelong response to the harbours and coastline of West Cornwall.

Executed in coloured crayon and pencil, the drawing reveals Frost’s direct and confident handling of the medium. Dense passages of colour contrast with lightly worked areas of paper, while repeated circular forms introduce a sense of movement and balance across the composition. Although abstract, the title and imagery suggest the curves of fishing boats, harbour structures and the shifting geometry of sails and tides.

Rather than functioning as a finished illustration of a place, the drawing captures Frost’s ability to transform observation into an entirely personal visual language. It is an accomplished example of the energetic works on paper that accompanied his paintings, prints and large-scale commissions throughout his career.

Research & Institutional References

Historical Context

The composition brings together several of Terry Frost’s most enduring motifs, including crescents, circles and chevrons, themes that recur throughout his mature work and reflect his long engagement with the landscape and harbours of Cornwall.

Public Collections

Works by Sir Terry Frost are represented in Tate, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Council Collection, the Government Art Collection and numerous public museums throughout the United Kingdom.