An exhibition of works by British artist Alex Cree.
Opening reception: Wednesday 14th October, 6-8pm
We hope that you will be able to join us for a glass of wine and for a chance to meet the artist himself on Wednesday 14th October from 6-8pm.
If you have any questions, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact Georgia in the London gallery on 0207 499 8958 or by emailing [email protected]
R.S.V.P is essential.
Trinity House are excited to announce the opening of an Alex Cree exhibition in our London gallery.
Having decided to leave London in December, Cree was prompted to re-kindle his interest in the wonderful art museums that London has to offer. He has spent much of 2015 in art galleries throughout the capital, producing works that are either ‘Plein Air’ landscapes or gallery interiors.
Cree’s ‘townscapes’ are the result of repeated visits, at a specific time of day, to a gallery’s exterior. Cree is meticulous about lighting and these ‘townscapes’ are only worked on when there is a blue sky and direct sunshine on the building, proving him with a window of only two hours before the shadows have moved too far.
In these pieces Cree uses colour to recreate the sensation of sunlight hitting an object and reflecting onto the retina, which in turn reaches the brain as a series of coloured shapes. Cree invites the viewer to read these coloured shapes as representing a London gallery. In works such as ‘The National Gallery’, there is no need for the viewer to have prior knowledge of the building and it’s cultural importance in order to enjoy the painting, for they are not architectural studies, they are carefully constructed observations.
“All objects, whether permanent or transitory, represented in these pictures were witnessed by me on location. They can be thought of as a record of my observations over the hours spent contemplating the subject. People and vehicles pass by, some stopping for a minute or two, clouds sweep across the sky, trees burst into leaf, their boughs bending, colourful flowers appear, cranes and scaffolding come and go as renovation or building work is carried out. Sometimes a very happy piece of painting is lost with the attempt to capture some change, but the finished painting holds within it a combination of observations over the entire period.” ALEX CREE
Stylistically Cree presents objects with a solid, sculptural form and colours that are organised into a satisfying and harmonious composition, always respecting the flat picture plane. This method is rooted in Cree’s artistic education where his professors at both Canterbury Christchurch College and the Prince of Wales drawing school were themselves taught by Euan Uglow, the London based artist who championed observation and the creation of sculptural like forms, observed directly from life.
Alex takes inspiration from a huge range of artists, however it is in his carefully constructed narrative scenes that Cree seeks inspiration from Renaissance masters such as Titian in terms of composition, and more modern masters such as Cezanne in terms of form.
Cree has exhibited extensively throughout the United Kingdom and Spain, including London’s Mall Galleries, Dulwich Picture Gallery, and the Solomon gallery in Dublin. In 2002 he was awarded the Sidney Cooper prize for drawing, in 2010 the Denis Mahon scholarship from the Prince’s drawing school and in 2012 he received the Phyllis Roberts award from the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. In addition Cree has remained closely tied to the Prince’s Drawing School where he has taught throughout his career.
