Friday 26 October 2012

Alexander Mackenzie

The painter Alexander Mackenzie, who died aged 79 in 2002, was a powerful and distinctive member of the post-war generation of modernists at St Ives when the art colony was a hotbed of new talent. He arrived in his 20s and began exhibiting in the Penwith Society in company with important and progressive artists, including Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Bryan Wynter, Patrick Heron and John Wells.

Through the 1950s and early 60s the likes of William Scott, Alan Davie and Roger Hilton were regularly present, and even Americans paid homage, notably Mark Rothko and Clement Greenberg. For a brief moment in British artistic development, the periphery became the centre within which Mackenzie played an important role.



 From 1964 to 1984 Mackenzie was head of fine art at Plymouth Art College, where he was valued by students as a quietly committed teacher. On retiring, he moved back to west Cornwall to continue painting. His later works were uncompromising: the drawing linear and tough, the limited palettes dominated by bone whites, cool greens and browns, and the textures scarred and distressed.


For more details on the artist please click here
To view my own work

Friday 19 October 2012

Ben Nicholson revisited

It was the work of Ben Nicholson which prompted me to start creating artwork over three years ago and I have enjoyed emulating his style immensely.

I found a wonderful old frame a few weeks ago and I renovated it and repainted it and I felt it begged me to create a Nicholson painting to go in it.

So here it is - I have enjoyed working on the piece and by layering plaster and sand mixed with paint and sanding and scratching the work getting to a great surface texture.





For more details and the purchase price please click here

Thursday 18 October 2012

Art for Hospiscare


I have produced a number of small 20 x 20 [cms] pieces to be included in a charity art auction to be staged by gloss Gallery in Exeter.The auction will feature over 100 pieces all the same size format  and I am happy to present one of the series which is available to purchase.

Once sold 10% of the proceeds will be passed to gloss to add to the money raised by the auction which is for Hospicare. Likewise I shall be donating 10% of the sale proceeds I derive from the artwork currently for sale in my eBay shop.





click here to view the item

Thursday 11 October 2012

Jeremy Annear - A Kind of Music

Sometime ago I wrote a feature on one of the most exciting artists working today 
 Jeremy Annear.

On October 13th The Campden Gallery present an exhibition of his work. I have provided a link to the galleries website where you can read more about the artist and download a copy of the exhibition catalogue.

So if you happen to be in the stunning county of Gloucestershire you visit the beautiful village of Chipping Campden and view some of the most exciting art being produced today - there is no doubt that it will be a great place and way to enjoy a day out.








The studio looks bare!!

As you know I am taking a 'GAP' year or two from focusing full time on my art and I would like to thank all my customers who have sent their best wishes and purchased some of the few remaining pieces. The reaction has been a positive reminder that I shall as soon as I am able re commence what has been a wonderful 'second career'.

The studio is starting to look very bare and I am promoting the last few pieces hoping they will find wall space where they will be well appreciated.

I hope to produce one or two new pieces when time allows and also keep my blogspot alive and well.







view the remaining pieces at

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Padraig MacMiadhachain

When we moved to Dorset two years ago we visited Swanage and we now regularly visit to sit on the sea front with the best fish and chips we have ever found!

During a walk through the town we chanced upon a small shop front Saul 2 - paintings.

All I can say is that when we went in we were unaware that we were walking into a gallery and about to meet the artist and discover his work which was simply wonderful.

The artist Padraig MacMiadhachain was sat there at his desk just inside the doorway and on the walls hung a huge collection of his work. He was gracious - made us coffee and we enjoyed a wonderful hour talking with him about his life and his art.

It is difficult to convey what an exceptional moment it was to an aspiring artist to meet someone and realise that he had rubbed shoulders with so many of my favourite artists. Likewise it is difficult to convey the vibrant and simple nature of his work via images but I would urge you that when next in the area go to Swanage and hope that the gallery is open.
 [beware he is not always open and the messages he leaves on the door as to where he is or what he is doing are works of art and tell a story in themselves!]

I leave you with a quote from the artist which having met him several times now does capture the essence of the man and his art.

Quote from Padraig MacMiadhachain: "I have painted all my working life; I love painting, and I have managed to live by it. I make some good paintings and loads of rubbish too (hopefully you won't ever see the latter). I seem to have two moods in working ; my usual love of pale greys and warm blacks that are all around me in Dorset and Cornwall, my lifelong fascination with fishing harbours and all their, to me, lovely smells (which I cannot paint). ...and the colour and buzz of Buenos Aires and their ice cream and its fantastic colours, these bright colours have carried over into my recent paintings made in St. Ives and elsewhere."