Vibrant and expressionistic oils. Still-life paintings within Richard’s “Unquiet Life” exhibition (in partnership with ceramicist Eilean Eland).
About The Artist
Coinciding with ‘Unquiet Life’, Meyer’s third exhibition at The Plough; the title refers to the often not particularly ‘still’ quality of his work. A sincere belief that Fine Art is a synthesis of visually observed real life and one’s personal responses to it lies at the heart of all the genre he works in: nude and figure studies, landscape and, as at this show, still-lifes.
Painting, from caves onwards, is at least 40,000 years old. Richard has no wish other than to continue this tradition and not stray from the same practices and obsessions that Picasso too revered. A fear of gimmickry means that subject matter, composition and the textured painted surface are vitally important. Preparatory work is drawing and pastel studies (using oil pastels – cheaper the better because Richard likes the grains of unground pigment sometimes in those) and chinagraph pencils on coated paper, acquired from a printer and made into ring-bound sketchbooks. This enables him to scrape back (for which he tries to keep his right thumb nail specially sharpened; JMW Turner did the same, so nothing is new!
Richard has been painting since the late 1970s, always making space for this alongside his work in wildlife conservation, teaching, and writing – he has written 12 books and >100 articles and papers illustrating many of these himself. He has a doctorate in ecology which helped to bring the Cornish Chough back to England as a breeding bird. But Fine Art has always been a driving passion.
Featured Image : Chrysanthemums in a tall jug
Artwork Or Image Titles
Chrysanthemums in a tall jug, Oil on canvas 70.5 x 50cm
Two daffodils, Oil on board 53 x 44.5cm
Flowers in a Paul Jackson vase, Oil on canvas 50.5 x 40cm
Extra Activities During Open Studios
Extras offered:
Workshops
– A still-life workshop is planned for Saturday 24th. More details from The Plough Arts Centre.
Cost of Extras: TBA, please contact gallery for charge nearer time
Booking Required?: Yes
Session dates and Times : TBA, please email artist or contact gallery to confirm details.
Children: Suitable for children 11 upwards
Studio/Venue Address and Contact Details
Venue number: 13
Richard Meyer
The Plough Arts Centre.
9-11 Fore Street,
Great Torrington, EX38 8HQ
Website: http://www.meyergallery.co.uk
Email: richardmeyer@lundybay.net
Phone: 01805 624624
Travel Details:
Town centre site with bus service and cycle ways.
Parking: Close to a car park
Children: Child friendly Venue
Disabled Access: No Disabled Access:
Directions: Centre of Great Torrington town, see www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
NDArt Trek 2016 – September 10th to 25th – Opening Dates and Times
Weekend dates are Sept 10-11th, Sept 17-18th, Sept 24-25th
Open all 3 weekends of the Event?: Yes
Weekend Open Times: 10.30am – 4.30pm. Not Sundays.
Weekday Open Dates & Times:
The Plough Arts Centre – Artist will be in attendance the Mornings of 10th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 24th, 25th.
The work can also be viewed during the normal opening hours of the Plough Gallery – open Tuesday to Saturday weekly.
Open at: 10:00 am Close at: 07:00 pm
I so enjoyed Richard’s previous exhibition at the plough and was miffed to find my first choice already sold!
Don’t hang about if you want to grace your walls with of one of his paintings!
Richard Meyer’s website is well worth a visit – As he is a writer as well as a painter, it is full of interesting thoughts on art, life, and the joys and challenges of being a creative person.
I am proud and happy to know him.