Artist : Sam Bassett 
Title : Trevalgan
Medium : acrylic on cavnvas
Dimensions : 180 x 120 cm


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“I woke up early, 5-ish in the hope that I’d go up Trevalgan Hill to see the sun rise and just be where my Gran’s ashes were scattered by my parents and family the week before. It’s where Granddad was scattered too, so I was keen to get there to, connect, talk, have a think you know, just be. The morning was misty and as I got closer to the hill, ascending, it got thicker and thicker. I finally got to the base of the hill and as I went through the gate I was met by two birds. I could only see about 10 yards ahead and these two danced and played with each other just steps in front of me to the very top of the hill. It was a dance, a celebration, a sign? I was delighted to see these two together. So happy, so playful, I cried, smiling and they joyfully led me to the top. I sat up top, with nothing to look at, they disappeared and I sat. I just sat, sitting pretty I was. It felt huge. No sun rise, nothing to see but that day I went home and started making drawings of birds. Over the past three years they’ve become upright. Walking. Figures. It’s funny what gets you started on something and funnier how it turns out.”

Sam Bassett was born in Cornwall, where he still lives and works. His work blends sharp humour, emotional intensity, and boundless experimentation. His distinctive visual language from sweeping gestures to more precise draughtsmanship and sgraffito schematics - channels the erratic clarity of an inner monologue unfolding on canvas. Described by some as a form of psychological cubism, his paintings reveal the interplay between internal and external worlds, exploring personal memory, cultural identity, and wider concerns about contemporary life. Autobiographical yet universally resonant, his recent works show a deepening connection to landscape, the sea, and his Cornish heritage — offering cautionary allegories of community, loss, and renewal.

Bassett has exhibited internationally, with solo shows at Vigo Gallery (London), Kornfeld Gallery (Berlin), and Anima Mundi (St Ives), as well as presentations at START (Saatchi Gallery) and CODE Art Fair (Copenhagen). His work is held in growing public and private collections, including Lost Karensa at Tremenheere Sculpture Park, permanently displayed alongside works by James Turrell, Richard Long and others. His practice has been profiled in Christie’s Magazine, The New York Post, and other publications, reflecting his rising influence and ambition.