Some of My Favourite Painters

A small selection of my favourite painters whose work I adore. Would also love to have their paintings hanging on my wall! Will have to do some saving! Have to make do with reproductions.

Although in my art I work mainly with abstract shapes I do appreciate portraiture, still-lifes, landscapes. There is, first of all, that emotional response to a painting, which I think is the essential reaction.

After some time I can see the other layers and details that make them so pleasing to my senses. Their textures, geometry, composition.

Sean Scully

This is one artist whose work I discovered only a few years ago. The edges and sculptural forms are so suggestive. Reminding me of the stacked slabs of stone surrounding me, when I was working in a quarry. Also my lego days as a young child! Off course I wasn’t at all surprised later when I saw his large stone constructions.

Euan Uglow

I was lucky enough to have stumbled across Euan Uglow’s paintings on a visit to London. It was while I was studying Art at Brighton. We had to visit the big Art Exhibitions once every term. I always visited the little Art Galleries in Cork Street. It was there I was lucky enough to see his work in the real. Struck by the geometrical aspect of his images. The strong use of facets, lines.

Victor Pasmore

I particularly like this amazing British Painter. Who found a lot of his inspirations from the Cornish Landscapes. His mixture of abstract forms, lines, curves is so suggestive. Rock pools, granite outcrops. I happened upon a great documentary about his art. In particular, a section where they hid a camera in the gallery. Recording visitors conversations. There was a couple of adults who really didn’t appreciate abstract art. But luckily there were a couple of children who loved it. No preconceptions. When do we lose that innocence?

Patrick George

As a painter from the Slade School of Art Patrick George used a certain method of measuring, constructing that remains as part of the finished painting. I find the brushstrokes and lines so sensitive. They really capture the personality of the sitter. His rendering of the light falling on his subjects is also so beautiful.

As a young Artist, I found myself with many limitations. Money based mainly, small workshops or none at all, no car, having to ask favours from friends to move materials.

All I wanted was a large piece of stone to carve. But with no means of transport or money to buy it, I found myself becoming the typical frustrated artist. With a big chip on my shoulder!

The following Sculpture was carved during my placement in the Common Ground DARSET Project. Working with rural primary schools carving sculptures inspired by the local landscapes. Half of the time carving my own artwork

. A lot of the schools were situated in river valleys and the flow of water has always fascinated me. Also working as a stone mason I carved many archways, this vertical sculpture has these elements placed in an alternative sequence, giving it this flowing motion.

“Flow” Portland Stone. 1988. Common Ground D.A.R.S.E.T. Project.

I began to find smaller stones and decided to compose them together to make larger pieces. When I look back at these previous sculptures I realise that the very thing I hated, these so-called limitations, pushed me in a very creative direction that still influences my artwork. Being able to buy and transport my sculptures without heavy lifting apparatus.

” Stack” Portland Stone.

Small Stacked Maquette in Portland Stone.

‘Modules’ Portland Stone. 1987

My love of Inca Art and Architecture has definitely been a subconscious influence in my sculpture, how massive stones have been carved to fit together with hardly any joints.

Inca Wall

I now see the infinite possibilities within these constraints. Its enabled me to appreciate the creative process and to no longer feel hard done by!

“The Enemy of Art is the Abscence of Limitations” Orson Welles.

Hope you enjoy these images and see the potential that I once ignored.