JOHN HOPWOOD Pe rsonages
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JOHN HOPWOOD Personages New Paintings and Drawings
11 – 30 May 2015
22 Fore Street, St Ives, TR26 1HE · 01736 794888 info@belgravestives.co.uk · www.belgravestives.co.uk
John Hopwood The sudden and unexpected death of Johnny at the very beginning of the year came as a great shock to all of us who knew and loved him. It is hard to believe that Johnny, with his energy, zest for life and sense of wonder at the world we all share, is no longer with us. The gallery had been working closely with Johnny on the plans for this exhibition for over a year and he had completed the series of paintings and drawings, along with all the other preparations for this exhibition, by the end of last year. Private and quiet, Johnny always wanted his work to speak for itself and I hope we have arranged this exhibition in a way that makes this possible. He had written a few notes around his ideas and feelings as a painter in relation to this exhibition and these are included in the catalogue unedited. Finally, this exhibition is the culmination of work produced since Johnny’s last exhibition with David Falconer at the New Millennium Gallery in 2008 and I trust it will be a fitting tribute to a very special person and an exceptionally gifted painter.
Michael Gaca
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Self Portrait: Penone Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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Gilles: Watteau Oil on linen 152 x 107 cm
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Hip Hop Boy Oil on canvas 114 x 84 cm
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With Eyes Closed Oil on canvas 38 x 38 cm
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Spring Sky Oil on canvas 102 x 102 cm
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Bright Cloud: Clairvoyant Oil on canvas 76 x 38 cm
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Chloe S. Oil on canvas 61 x 41 cm
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Self Portrait: Raphael Oil on canvas 31 x 25 cm
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Italians Listening Graphite on paper 64 x 50 cm
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Femme au Chapeau: Matisse Oil on canvas 84 x 61 cm
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Self Portrait Sketch: V.G. Graphite on paper 52 x 40 cm
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Self Portrait without Beard: V.G. Oil on canvas 30.5 x 25.5 cm
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Long Grass with Butterflies: V.G. Oil on canvas 102 x 102 cm
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Young Pan Oil on canvas 76 x 68 cm
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Pete D. Oil on canvas 71 x 30 cm
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Apparition with Clouds and Stars Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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Skull Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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Goddess G. Oil on canvas 84 x 69 cm
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Night Head with Bird Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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Pool Bather with Roses Oil on canvas 102 x 51 cm
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Hooded Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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Wood: Spring Light Oil on canvas 102 x 102 cm
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L’Amandier en Fleur: Bonnard Oil on canvas 61 x 61 cm
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With Eyes Open Oil on canvas 30 x 25 cm
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Doll Boy Graphite on paper 30 x 48 cm
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Anton Chekov Graphite on paper 45 x 36 cm
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Lady 1863 Graphite on paper 52 x 40 cm
Marcel Proust Graphite on paper 46 x 38 cm
Self Portrait: S.P. Graphite on paper 52 x 40 cm
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A Painter’s Notes – Johnny Hopwood I work in natural light only. I work on one picture only at a time. I work every day for a variable number of hours. The work – the painting or drawing – grows daily, very gradually. It is an organic process – what must be considered a slow process (taking from days to weeks to months, according to size and complexity.) The work spreads across the canvas (from top to bottom). The work is carried out in a meditative spirit. Time is an active element of the work. The painting/drawing of the work is in no way mechanical. I am constantly aware of the touch of brush, paint upon the canvas, my eye/brain/heart is in constant awareness, each patch of colour building the final image. Since Art School (Berkshire College of Art) my studio has been in my home, Berkshire, Oxford, Berkshire, St Ives. Not wishing to separate my work from the other elements of my life. I often begin with an existing image which may present itself to me from any, often unexpected source. I work in what will be considered isolation showing the work only when it is exhibited. The present work is the result of my idea of presenting a room/gallery of personages. (The group could be seen as artistically ‘autobiographical’ – all the figures having specific meaning in direct relation to myself.) After making some half dozen figures (all with their eyes upon me) I realised that some relief in the form of nature, ie. sky, wood, meadow on a larger scale, would form a pleasing contrast, among all the coming figures. (Also these would relate back to the two previous shows – at the New Millennium Gallery St Ives 2005 & 2008.)
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