Artist ProfileFrom an early age I had been encouraged to appreciate and respect the landscape and to feel its beneficial influence on the body and the spirit. It was not until graduating from university however, through long summers in upland and island Britain working with the British Geological Survey, that the desire to document observations and experiences began to take form. I was now compelled to witness the natural world through pencil and paint. Belatedly a lifetime's apprenticeship commenced, gleaning what I could from contact with artists at life classes and local art groups. With much exasperated experimenting, faithful support from family and friends and wonderfully loyal clients, some semblance of direction and vision emerged. Moving to Dumfries and Galloway in 1992 was the catalyst that firmly put birds and other wildlife into those landscapes. Increasingly sketching wildlife 'in the field' became important as a rich store of ideas and information and ultimately the foundation and starting point for my studio paintings. Though largely self taught those artists that I have studied, admired and whose influence I acknowledge are those whose handling of paint is so enjoyably expressive. In wildlife art the names of Bruno Liljefors and Bob Kuhn come to mind, while in contemporary art it is the work of Ken Howard , Arthur Maderson and David Prentice that inspires. Recent Commissions
Recent Exhibitions
Awards
For information about commissions or paintings currently available for sale, please email john@johnthrelfall.co.uk. |
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