Alex Brown, Colin Carruthers, sculpture by Christine Baxter
Schedule
Fri Jun 28 2024 at 10:00 am to Sat Jul 20 2024 at 05:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
The Albany Gallery | Cardiff, WA
About this Event
Visitors will be able to view oil paintings depicting scenes from Cardiff and the Brecon Beacons by Alex Brown, rosehips at Llyn Padarn and woodland bluebells by Colin Carruthers, and a selection of figurative sculptures by Christine Baxter.
View paintings
studied painting at Camberwell School of Art in London during the ‘80s. His influences are Cézanne, Van Gogh and Matisse. Using a brush and a palette knife he developed his style as a play between representation and abstraction. His use of colour shows a keen interest in and understanding of the underlying structure of colour in light.
He says: “The use of colour is my primary subject, and observation is the approach I use whilst trying to find the underlying structure of colour in light. The relationship of colours gives a spatial realism to the paintings which frees my mark making from precision and allows me to explore abstraction."
Alex, who has work in public and private collections both in the UK and abroad adds:
“A painting can be like a poem, the essence of knowledge and feeling.”
was born in Antrim in Northern Ireland where he spent his early childhood. He showed an interest in drawing at an early age and was encouraged by his mother to draw and paint. He completed a BA Honours degree in Fine Art in 1997 and thereafter began exhibiting his paintings in galleries throughout the UK.
This exhibition of new paintings, draws together both landscapes and seascapes following his recent travels around Wales and France.
Colin’s textural paintings are intended to convey the ever-changing aspects of nature. He paints mainly with oils and often works with a palette knife, creating thick, textured surfaces.
The oil paint dries slowly, allowing him to build layers in which the marks of the palette knife are often still visible – creating interesting and dramatic effects.
Colin’s frequent trips to the coast and countryside both in the UK and mainland Europe, have deepened his appreciation of the diversity and beauty of nature.
Colin says: “Expressing nature in my work probably stems from my early childhood experiences in connecting with nature. For me, as a painter, nature can be liberating and its beauty a power.”
Colin’s recent trips to the countryside have inspired a new group of paintings depicting scenes of wildflowers growing in their natural habitat around lakes in Wales. During the last couple of years, Colin has been selected to exhibit his work at the Royal Cambrian Academy’s Annual Exhibition – which has inspired him to spend even more time in Wales, studying the Welsh landscape.
Sculptor also studied at Camberwell school of Art during the ‘80s after completing her art foundation at Cambridge College of Technology under the inspiring tutorage of sculptor Mike Gillespie, Jacob Epstein’s former assistant.
Her selection of sculptures for the gallery include the torso of a Spanish dancer and animals, view
She says: “I have always derived great pleasure from drawing but the first time I encountered clay I never looked back. I spent a few years working for the film and model making industry, mostly making consumer products for Disney, Warner Bros., Lucas Films and others until I was able to pursue my own work in my own studio."
“My work is predominantly figurative and representational, but the representation is the vehicle. What I am exploring and investigating is the emotional response of the viewer. This is my concept. Whilst making a piece I am consciously trying to understand the emotions that I have to it. Hoping for a similar dialogue and emotional response from the viewer."
“Once you have the physicality of the clay and the likeness of the model in hand then it becomes interesting. How we all read instinctively the angle of the mouth the tension in the brow, the eyes, tiny manipulations can create different emotions in the viewer. Not only are you dealing with weight, gravity, tension, poise and fluidity, but the language of the body. The best figurative work has this ability to affect the viewer emotionally. It is successful if it gets you in the guts!”
Where is it happening?
The Albany Gallery, 74b Albany Road, Cardiff, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
