Paul Bloomer is a contemporary British artist living and working in the Shetland Islands.
Next exhibition, Boundary Gallery, London 11 March to 24 April 2010
Facing the sea review - Peter Davis
Facing the sea review - Jane Matthews
Boundary Gallery press release (PDF format)
This was the last of them 1
2008 Oil on canvas. 100cm x 120cm Ref. 4403
Migration
2008 Acrylic on canvas. 120 x 150cm Ref. 4158
I started the winter by producing a large and ongoing series of works inspired by 'the meeting of the waters' at St Ninians Isle. The beach at St Ninians is a spectacular tombola that at high tide in winter is covered by water. The sea runs into each other from opposing directions creating the most magnificent interlace patterns amongst the waves and ripples. This is one of the least seen but most visually stunning spectacles in Shetland and for me symbolises a state of natural completeness. The sea that was once separated by the bar of sand has come together as one to make beautiful visual music.
The return of the St Ninians Isle treasure to the New Shetland Museum and Archives bought home to me the direct parallel to Pictish interlace design and the ever changing rhythms of the land sea and sky. I would like to imagine that the 8th century artists who decorated some of these objects were also inspired by the same 'meeting of the waters' at St Ninians.
Winter is also the time when I paint the sea, and the dark turmoil of the waves echoes my state of my light starved mind in this dark northern hemisphere.
There is a small selection of these works here, many of them in pastel which coincidentally is a medium I have never really exploited before.
Spring was dominated by the growing public unease in Shetland surrounding the proposal to build Europe's largest wind farm, (154 wind turbines each one more than 500 feet tall), amongst some of the most scenic and untouched wildernesses of Shetland. As the reality of this scenario began to sink in I began to suffer recurring nightmares, that led to the production of my wind farm images.
Spring is also the time that the light returns to Shetland and the sun once again begins to set over the Atlantic ocean outside my house.
After the darkness of Shetland winter I try and paint this furiously.
This is the season of fever pitch activity, all outside jobs have to be done and I start to wonder whether I am a trout angler or a painter.
Summer saw me living on the Island of Noss as part of an artists residency funded by Shetland Arts and SNH. Here for twelve hours a day I drew birds and especially the magnificent Gannet colony at the east of the island. This involved an hours walk over steepish terrain, heavily laden with drawing boards and warm clothes then ten hours hanging over the edge of cliff drawing Gannets in the unrelenting wind. You can see some of my Noss pictures here.
There is also a selection of other summer works here.
Autumn begins the season of introspection as I lock myself
in the studio in front of many large canvases and paint
all the images
and experiences
I've absorbed over the year. Sometimes I go back to canvases
I've
started many
years ago but mostly I try to plunge into unknown new painterly
territory. This is also the season when Shetland is blessed
with the arrival
of many migratory birds and I cannot resist painting these
beauties as
they pass through
on their mysterious journey.
Watch out for these works soon.
Hope you enjoy the site
Cheers for now
Paul
My New Exhibits section will feature works on a changing basis, as selected by me, stop by in a month or two to see what's been retained, and what's new. All works are for sale unless otherwise indicated.
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