Martin Kinnear on how he went back to the subject and style that inspired him to take up painting
As you might see from my website, most of my work is contemporary painting - but it’s not always been that way.
In 2000 when I decided to quit the rat race and follow my dream of working as an artist, I painted large scale traditional views of my part of the world, the Pennines , the Lakes and the Dales.
While I've been lucky enough to win international awards for my contemporary work , including a Medaille D'Argent at my first Paris Salon; I've never lost my love of traditionally painting the incredible weather and light of the north of England.
Indeed in my day job as a tutor I often create works after Constable, Turner and the American Sublime School, which are all about light and atmosphere, rather than bold direct colours, and those are often of the North of England.
When Tennants approached me to put on a new solo show I chose to prepare and present the sort of works which made me fall in love with the art and craft of painting.
As a veteran of many shows I know that viewers will have two questions: 'Where is it of?', and, 'How long did it take to paint? These paintings are all inspired by my favourite views of the North, but I've tried hard to emphasise what makes them beautiful, rather than slavishly copy their topographical detail; so in answer to 'where are they of' , these are paintings of whatever and wherever the image takes you in your memory and imagination.
The Northern landscape is one of sublimity, majesty and wonder not cartography .
The second question is easier to answer, these works have taken me 21 years and a lifetime. Art is an exercise in practice and persistence as well as moments of inspiration. None of these are quick or easy; but then nothing worth having or making is, and time spent on them is well spent.
Finally, if you like this sort of thing, I would like to encourage you to visit these works and see them in person - the subtlety of glazes and the luminosity of the works never quite comes across in reproduction.
I very much hope you enjoy my show as much as I enjoyed creating it for you.
View The Landscapes of the North catalogue for free as a PDF: click link below .
To View the show in person simply visit Tennants of Leyburn from 12 - 31st of October.
Full of passion for the wild and free