simon spare artwork

New Pots

2011-12-31T12:01:00.003Z

A new set of bowls, made for Daisy and Adam as a wedding present, have encouraged me to take up ceramics again - have therefore purchased on Ebay (for £47 !!) a Leech kickwheel from Slough, which I haven't used yet, but it's only a matter of time. Thinking also of getting hold of a kiln one way or another so I can be self sufficient as and when the muse takes me.

The glaze of these bowls should have been matt-white stoneware - either the label was wrong or the kiln temperature was too high/low. One way or another, the finished effect is very nice (I think) and I'm happy with them - all part of the mystery of alchemy.

St Andrew's Church, Chew Magna

2011-10-17T09:04:00.002+01:00

Bang up to date again now, with this pen & wash of St Andrew's in Chew Magna, Somerset from our recent campervan trip.

Worm's Head Llandudno and Dunwich Suffolk

2011-10-17T08:59:00.000+01:00

Fairlight, Cambridgeshire and the Downs

2011-10-17T08:57:00.002+01:00

More sketching - cliff studies in Pembrokeshire & north Devon

2011-10-17T08:54:00.002+01:00

Discovered a sketchbook from the last couple of years with some quite nice work in it - sketching from around the country, including cliff studies from Pembrokeshire and Devon, having seen drawings by Wilhemina Barnes-Graham, and a couple of drawings from the Downs. Hope you like.

colour rediscovered III

2011-07-07T21:18:00.007+01:00

Finally, after a surprising and unusual amount of hard work, 6 new paintings completed - by way of a nod to some of my favourite artists, particularly Patrick Heron and Bryan Wynter, and at a loss for anything else to do, I have decided to name them after the predominant colours I have used - yellows, Ochre and Naples, Cadmium Red and Red Deep, Paynes Grey, Mars Black and Raw Umber. Hope you find something of interest in them.

colour rediscovered II

2011-06-23T14:28:00.003+01:00

As promised, photos of the new paintings I have been working on - some just about there, others not quite ready yet. Quite happy-ish so far though.

Colour rediscovered

2011-06-23T00:05:00.002+01:00

Have been madly painting over the last couple of weeks - working on some new stuff for the Battle Contemporary Fine Art Fair - and have rediscovered primaries, particularly cadmium red and naples yellow, all built in to my weird structural little paintings that I don't quite understand - photos to follow.

new sketches

2011-05-04T01:17:00.004+01:00

A few old sketches

2011-04-12T13:00:00.003+01:00

Just discovered some old drawings - one of my dear departed dog, Otis, which I did in a quiet moment at work in my daybook - he used to come to work with me and patiently lay with his back to the wall fast asleep til someone came in, whereupon he would lazily get up, say Hi and then drop off again.

And four that I did when we were in the Dolomites at Hotel Briol, on the Italian/German borders. A bracing and in some ways difficult place to be, but picturesque and great walking.

Wittersham Church

2011-04-03T21:26:00.001+01:00

New Sketching.

2011-03-29T23:50:00.004+01:00

New Paintings

2011-02-11T22:38:00.004Z

I've done two new paintings for a charity auction taking place in Battle in aid of St Michael's Hospice - only entering one of them, so I hope it sells.

From the Downs

Acrylic and Graphite on Paper

Magenta

Acrylic and Graphite on Paper

New Work for Rye Christmas Show

2010-11-05T20:20:00.004Z

Monument

Acrylic/Mixed Media on Board

Memorial

Acrylic/Mixed Media on Board

Pathway

Acrylic/Mixed Media on Board

Castle

Acrylic/Mixed Media on Board

Battle Contemporary Fine Art Fair

2010-09-30T17:10:00.005+01:00

Excellent news - my partner Janet and I were both selected to take part in the Battle Contemporary Fine Art Fair and I was awarded the prize for Best Emerging Artist. Also sold one of my favourite paintings, Settlement, to a lady from Hawkhurst.

Hopefully she will be pleased with her new purchase.

Taking part in exhibitions and selling work always fires me up creatively, so now planning lots of new work to do whilst Janet is away in Scotland.

Recent Drawing

2010-08-05T11:41:00.006+01:00

Cincinnati Airport 1

Cincinnati Airport 2

Above the River Dart

Hemmingford

On the Great Ouse

Above Ullswater, Cumbria

Ullswater Trees

On Loch Naver

Loch Naver 1

Loch Naver 2

Dalchalm 1

Dalchalm 2

Dalchalm 3

Paul's Chestnut, Herstmonceux

London Show - Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, Pall Mall

2009-11-13T15:11:00.000Z

I have 6 paintings in a group show in the Royal Opera Arcade Gallery off Pall Mall this week. Fingers crossed for a sale or two, but it's just nice to be showing work to people.

Common Ground photos.

2009-11-10T07:27:00.000Z

The exhibition went fairly well - very enjoyable Private View, sales not quite what we would have liked, but had much positive feedback and numerous interesting conversations subsequently. It can be difficult talking about your own work, but sometimes it's the only way I can work out why I do what I do. Also, I probably wouldn't get any painting done unless I had an exhibition to work towards.

Landscapes

2009-11-08T23:36:00.000Z

A series of landscapes of differing ages, which all led to what I am doing now.

Empire State Series

2009-11-08T23:30:00.000Z

I did this series of paintings having got back from New York after a trip there with J staying with a friend, Mickey. We were there in November, and it was very cold, crisp and dry with a fabulous blue sky. We loved the city, and whilst we were there, we were treated to great sunsets which reflected in the glass windows of the office blocks - a germ of an idea, which grew into this.

Older work

2009-11-08T23:14:00.000Z

Been thinking about why I don't put some more of my older stuff on my art blog, so here it is:

Artist Statement and CV

2009-10-26T22:32:00.001Z

Artist’s Statement

For me, painting is firmly rooted in the landscape. Spending time each day walking the dog in the woods, I become sensitised to - the smells, the sounds, the colours – my legs and lungs define the topography.

The evidence of man’s presence in the landscape is often complementary to it, and it is at this meeting point – the human with the natural – where my interest lies – a ploughed field on chalky downland, a bridleway that cuts across a hillside, the line of an ancient hedgerow. These lines, and the maps I use to negotiate them, form the basic structure on which I base my work.

In my new paintings there are the moments of clarity and of obscurity that one might expect on a foggy day. As the clouds part, the structure behind is drawn into sharp focus, only to be covered once again by the thin veil.

Art CV - Simon G Spare (www.simonspare.com - simon.spare@virgin.net)

Solo Shows

2009 Joint exhibition of Paintings at Arts Forum, Hastings with Janet Harding

2008 Solo Exhibition of Paintings and Ceramics at Arts Forum Gallery, St Leonards on Sea

2002 “Spring Pyre Series” - Stables Gallery Hastings Solo Show

Selected Group Exhibitions

2009 Rye Society of Artists Summer Exhibition

2008 Royal Society of British Artists at the Mall Galleries, London

2007 Coastal Currents Open Studios
Hastings Arts Forum Gallery Members’ Show, St Leonards on Sea

2006 Royal Society of British Artists at the Mall Galleries, London
Group Exhibition at Stormont Studios, Rye
An Exhibition of Small Works at Easton Rooms, Rye

2005 Royal Society of British Artists at the Mall Galleries, London
“When the Sun Shines” at Easton Rooms, Rye
“The September Exhibition”, Wadhurst

2004 Summer Exhibition at Easton Rooms, Rye
Christmas Show at Easton Rooms, Rye

2003 Summer Show at Easton Rooms, Rye
“The September Exhibition”, Wadhurst

2002 Chestnut Tree Gallery, Herstmonceux, a two-person exhibition with partner Janet Harding

2001 Pumpkin Patch, St Mary’s Church, Sandwich, Kent
New Riviera Group Summer Show, Hastings
South East Arts Open Studios
Group Show, Rock-a-Nore Gallery, Hastings

2000 South East Arts Open Studios
Coastal Currents Sculpture Garden
Bourne Arts Centre Exhibition, Hastings

1999 New Riviera Group, Hastings

1998 “After Turner” at Hastings Museum
Arts & Crafts Exhibition, Tunbridge Wells Museum

© Simon G Spare 2008

Common Ground - An Exhibition

2009-10-21T23:55:00.001+01:00

“Common Ground”

Janet Harding and Simon Spare have worked independently for over 10 years, each producing strong work in their own right. Inevitably, with time spent together, there is a degree of cross-fertilisation or “common ground” in their painting.

Shared sources of inspiration – often the natural world – generate similarity and difference within their highly individual work – one could say with feminine and masculine perspectives. The viewer is invited to be curious.

Private View 30th October 6.30pm – 8.30pm – why not come and share a drink? – otherwise, both artists will also be present during the two weeks of the exhibition and welcome comment and feedback.

Final few for Common Ground

2009-10-21T20:53:00.002+01:00

photos of three more for Common Ground

2009-10-14T07:58:00.000+01:00