BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.7//EN TZID:Europe/London X-WR-TIMEZONE:Europe/London BEGIN:VEVENT UID:8691@artinliverpool.com DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London;VALUE=DATE:20240423 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London;VALUE=DATE:20240512 DTSTAMP:20240426T130303Z URL:https://www.artinliverpool.com/events/arthouse-gallery-behind-the-curt ain-neil-prior/ SUMMARY:ArtHouse Gallery: ArtHouse Gallery: Behind the Curtain: Neil Prior   DESCRIPTION:“Behind the Curtain” – solo show by Neil Prior\nArtHouse \, 65 Eastbank Street\, Southport\, Merseyside\, PR8 1EJ\n\n23rd Apri l – 11th May 2024\n\nSelf-taught professional artist\, Neil Prior from Ainsdale\, who needs no introduction to the region\, is making a welcome r eturn to the ArtHouse in Southport with a three-week solo-showcase\, "B ehind the Curtain"\, presenting six new oil paintings\, each a further tes tament to Neil's artistry and penchant for storytelling.\n\nStepping into the gallery\, viewers are immediately drawn into the world Neil has meticu lously created. Each painting commands its own space\, inviting the observ er to immerse him or herself in its narrative. As the curtains are drawn\, the boundaries between reality and imagination blur\, allowing spectators to craft their own stories within the rich tapestry of Neil's work.\n\nIn spired by a transformative visit to Vermeer's exhibition at the Rijksmuseu m in Amsterdam\, Neil has poured his creativity into six distinct pieces\, ranging in size and scope. Among them\, "Love's Language"\, the largest canvas measuring 4 feet by 3 feet\, beckons viewers into a scene where a b illowing curtain frames a table adorned with intriguing objects. Reminisce nt of the masterful storytelling of William Hogarth's"Before and After"\, Neil strategically places a nod to the old master on the back wall of this particular piece\, enhancing the depth of its narrative.\n\nEach composit ion is a product of Neil's boundless imagination\, infused with elements o f love\, deceit\, and the possibility of intrigue. As spectators engage wi th Neil's works\, they find themselves not just passive observers but acti ve participants\, allowing their souls to intertwine with the evocative im agery before them.\n\nOriginally from Christchurch in Dorset\, Neil recent ly moved into the area with his wife\, Martha and their two Bedlington Ter riers\, Bruce and Herbert\, who equally stepped from ‘behind the curtai n’ by making local news back in 2019 due to eating palm oil that had wa shed up on Ainsdale Beach from the Maltese ship\, Kimya\, that capsized ne arly 30 years ago after storms dislodged its toxic cargo.\n\nHaving retire d from full service as a police officer with the Leicestershire constabula ry in 2018\, Neil has now finally swapped his truncheon for his paintbrush \, and evolved his life-long love of oil painting into a professional busi ness.\n\nUnbelievably\, Neil only began painting in 2008\, after attending a one-day workshop on how to paint in the Bob Ross Wet-on-Wet Oil Paintin g technique facilitated by Jayne Good\, which he quickly followed up with a further weekend course with professional Fine Artist\, Mike Skidmore.\n\ nOver the years\, Neil’s gregarious attitude to art has seen him expand his repertoire across a diverse range of subjects: “I started using oil s in 2012 and offered bespoke commissions over a variety of subjects from landscapes\, seascapes\, portraiture\, still life\, wildlife and nature an d lately\, abstract works. I registered as a self employed business in Nov ember 2019 continuing to paint commissions and exhibit in local galleries. ”\n\nNeil is always enjoys seeking new challenges and "Behind the Curta in" offers a further insight into his creative output.\n\nThere will be s everal opportunities for visitors to ‘Meet the Artist’ when Neil wil l be in the Gallery on Saturday 27th April(2-4pm)\; Tuesday 30th April (1- 3pm)\; Saturday 4th May (2-4pm) and Tuesday 7th May (1-3pm).\n\nMore of Ne il’s work is available to view on Facebook via Neil Prior Artist and h e can be contacted for commissions @ neilprior.com. ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artinliverpool.com/wp-content/upload s/2024/04/painting-Vermeers-The-Milkmaid.jpg CATEGORIES:Exhibitions LOCATION:ArtHouse Gallery\, 65 Eastbank Street\, Southport\, Sefton\, PR81E J\, Southport\, United Kingdom GEO:53.645169;-3.004323 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=65 Eastbank Street\, Southp ort\, Sefton\, PR81EJ\, Southport\, United Kingdom;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TI TLE=ArtHouse Gallery:geo:53.645169,-3.004323 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20240331T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR