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In common with most other artists, painting is something I have to do; I have no choice in the matter. Since my earliest years I have been drawing or painting on whatever materials were available, and when nothing was available I drew on walls or windows. It was however another twenty years before I would get any formal training. This eventually led to what is now my full time career as an artist. My work reflects for the most part my wider interests in life. These would vary from my connection with horse racing in the early years to my long-term interest in nature, particularly ornithology and of course travel. My landscapes are often worked up from watercolour sketches done on the spot. I would seldom paint the broad landscape but rather the corner that interests me .The shadow pattern on a wall or cliff, the reflection in a pool or the abstract shapes and shadows created by sunlight through reeds. These I would record in my pad for later consideration. My still life work can be of composed or found subjects. The items used are almost always personal. Some would be in my studio many years before becoming subjects in a still life. I use stainless steel or silver to reflect the constantly changing light in the studio and also the changes in the studio itself. My compositions may also include items that would reflect my other interest in life. Items such as binoculars, feathers, saddles and plants or references to the natural environment all find their way into my work. Some compositions occur naturally in a somewhat untidy studio and can make interesting subjects when seen in a certain light, while others are composed in harmony with my mood and thoughts at that time. James English RHA. |
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