Saturday 14 May – Sunday 29 May 2016
Richard Rowan produces photographic quality scenes on a ‘canvas’ of glass
Rowan’s latest collection ‘New Horizons’ expertly captures stunning landscape settings on a ‘canvas’ of glass – the acclaimed artist’s preferred material.
The powerful new body of work captures the beauty of nature: from glowing sunsets, to dramatic bolts of lightning piercing through brooding mist, to bright, luminescent cloud formations reminiscent of the Northern Lights. His scenes are also inspired from his travels to diverse places such as the Lake District and Hanoi.
With a technique unique to him, Richard’s delicate work takes shape by painting the foreground first, leaving it to dry for up to a week before the next layer is applied. Different coats of paint are then expertly added with a kit of brushes, homemade tools and craft knives onto the reverse side of the sheets of glass. Tweaking the paint before it dries, the finished result gives a depth and vibrancy that captivates the viewer.
Jen Spencer, Manager for Wall to Wall Gallery, said:
“Landscapes and skies are constantly changing and this gives Richard a constant flow of inspiration for him to explore. This new collection is a ticket to round the world travel, a portal to destinations far and wide, escapism on your wall.”
Speaking of his new collection, Rowan says:
“From early in my teenage years a quote has never left my mind… ‘Life’s too short. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you may miss it.’ I’m looking all the time. I get annoyed when I see a spectacular sky and people around me are doing their day to day routines, missing what is happening above their heads.
“This life is too short so I’m trying to remember as much of it as I can. I love being able to capture a moment in time. Painting oil on glass can make you want to tear your hair out, but it’s also satisfying at the same time. When I sit down to paint, I want to paint better than the last time; pushing the boundaries of what I can do.”
Wall to Wall Gallery, Metquarter, Ground Floor, 35 Whitechapel,
Liverpool, L1 6DA
Pieces can be bought from the exhibition or online at: http://walltowallgallery.co.uk/
