Sam Mills

Tideline

Large-scale sculptural drawing made on the foreshore of the River Thames, working with the river to trace the rising tide.

Sculptural drawing
Drawing tools
Screen with digital photographs

about sam

Sam Mills is a London-based visual artist whose work explores drawing as a way of connecting with the environment. Working as a teacher and project manager for two Thames-based charities, Sam is developing creative programmes that support community engagement with the river using the skills and knowledge gained during MA Arts & Place.

Tideline

Drawing is my practice. Yoga is my practice. Connecting with the cosmic forces that create the tidal flows, through drawing, unites both. Tideline was drawn on the north bank of the River Thames, at Barnes Bridge in West London, two hours after low tide as water flooded upstream from the sea towards the source. Using a drawing stick made from materials found on the riverbank and ink blended with the river’s sediment, I repeatedly traced the water’s edge as it spread across the canvas, each stroke following the direction of the rising tide.