Jon Rowland Art

JON ROWLAND ART WEBSITE NEWS UPDATE

My Exhibition 'ANCIENT AND NATURAL SPACES' - 'A Personal Journey'

IS DUE TO OPEN ON 9 October 2023 at Wolfson College in Oxford.

 

FRIENDS

I thought I'd let you know that my exhibition at Wolfson College, at Linton Road, Oxford  is due to run from 09 April - 08 December 2023. The preview date is 08 October, and there is a 'MEET THE ARTIST' event on 26 November from 2.00 - 4.30pm

I like to ensure I have a long term programme of exhibitions, and more to the point that I manage the issues of framing and preparing the paintings for show. Sometimes this is not possible and we have to roll with events. "Tant pis" as Cezanne might have said. It is what we have to live with during these difficult times. 

So the challenge is to try and give you, if not a virtual tour of the show, then at least an idea of the paintings that are likely to be on the walls for you to view. There are several parts to the exhibition; my responses to the impact of Coronavirus fom lockdown to tentative release to being allowed to travel; and some of the landscapes we visited, here, in Scotland and in France.

Cezanne once said that painting from nature is not copying the object; it is realizing one's sensations. One hundred years later Damien Hurst declared that art should be uplifting. The complex process of drawing inspiration from these two sources, nature and emotion, has been a key influence. Because much of my work is now studio bound, memory is a third attribute to the challenge that art provides. My aim in this exhibition is to bring these characteristics together as contemporary art that is grounded in 'place'. As you may know I tend to paint in series. Many of the exhibition paintings emerged in the last 2 - 3 years. They are a sort of homage to places I love or that have family meaning. 

PLEASE LOOK AT THE EXHIBITIONS SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE.

I always listen to friends' comments. So it would be good if people tell me what they like, what they want to buy, or what the challenges are about having one of my pictures, please feel free to drop me a line. If there are any particular paintings that interest you, you can contact me on this website or email

[email protected]

You can also view some of the works as they progress theough the studio on Instagram.

I have an arrangement with Wychwood Art Gallery and you can view past paintings they have at: https://www.wychwoodart.com

Thanks to all.

JON ROWLAND

 

And now .............

INFORMATION ON THE ARTIST>

Jon draws on a number of locations that have influenced his ideas on abstraction. These have all played a part in his ‘artistic journey’, and include Provence, Venice, Cuba, the Scottish Coast and landscapes around Oxford. Pictures are sometimes painted ‘en plein air’, although increasingly in the studio. Through the series of themes on this website, he explores aspects of space, light, and colour. In some themes he uses concepts of detail to examine and manipulate emerging abstraction to express the essence of a particular 'place'. It is the juxtaposition of colour and shape that often act as the starting point, and Jon uses these places to reflect on themes of movement and space. This exhibition continues the search that started at recent exhibitions at the Barn Gallery, The North Wall Arts Centre, and Sewell Centre Art Gallery, and explores complex ancient and natural spaces,

"Painting is a journey. One starts at one place - the blank canvas - and hopefully ends at a resolution. Sometimes one gets lost. My aim in this journey is to create original, contemporary art that is grounded in 'place'. Sometimes the picture takes on a life of its own often creating new challenges. Chance and opportunity are the travelling companions, but the art is to know when the journey is complete."

Recent exhibitions have included:

  • Art in St Giles, Oxford - August 2019 - group exhibition
  • Cornerstone Art Centre Gallery, Oxfordshire - September 2019 - solo exhibition
  • Boiler Room Gallery - The Jam Factory - Oxford - November to January 2019-20 - solo exhibition
  • Kendrew Barn Gallery - Oxford  - June 2021 - solo exhibition
  • The North Wall Arts Centre - Oxford - October 2021 - solo exhibition
  • Sewell Centre Art Gallery - Radley College, Oxford - 2022 - So;o Exhibition
  • Wolfson College, Oxford - October - December 2023 - solo exhibition

More information

WWW.JONROWLANDART.CO.UK

Contact: [email protected] 

 

 

Jon Rowland Art