Vernon Jones
new sensational paintings inspired by the sea with Amanda Simmons Glass & Natalie Vardey Jewellery
The Sea, The Sea An exhibition of paintings, glass & jewellery by Vernon Jones, Amanda Simmons & Nataile Vardey The sensational paintings of the sea by Vernon Jones were the starting point for this exhibition which brings together three artists whose work, to a greater or lesser degree, has been inspired by the sea. Vernon Jones has perfected his detailed renderings of wave forms over the years. He has undoubted technical skill, but his new paintings go beyond this as he is not so much concerned with showing off his painterly talents, as trying to inject some character into the paintings in terms of his choice of colour and paint marks. From a distance the waves look astonishingly realistic but close up you begin to notice the interesting brush strokes, subtle colour changes and textures. His wave paintings go far beyond sterile photo-realism and mere slavish imitation. Vernon is from South Wales and divides his time between Wales and Macedonia. He studied design and wildlife illustration from 1992 to 1994 but is largely self-taught as a painter in oils and acrylics. He has been exhibiting extensively in Wales, England, Germany, Italy, Montenegro and Macedonia since 2006. Vernon is dedicating this exhibition to the memroy of Scott Ward
The entire exhibition can be viewed on the Castle Gallery’s website at: www.castlegallery.co.uk Cover:
Cresting Wave, acrylic on canvas, 60(h) X 120(w) cm
Over the Rocks, acrylic on canvas, 50(h) X 100(w) cm
Sunlit Wave and Spray at Trebarwith, acrylic on linen, 60(h) X 120(w) cm
Stirring Sea at Trebarwith, acrylic on canvas, 60(h) X 120(w) cm
Tumbling Wave, Scottish Highlands acrylic on linen 60(h) X 120(w) cm
Rough Incoming Tide, acrylic on canvas, 50(h) X 50(w) cm
Opposite: Seaweed and Pebbles, Girvan acrylic on linen 110(h) X 160(w) cm
Evening Light at Ogmore, acrylic on canvas, 30(h) X 30(w) cm
Carfai Bay, acrylic on canvas, 60(h) X 120(w) cm
Crashing Wave at Rocky Shoreline, acrylic on linen, 60(h) X 120(w) cm
The Big Fall, acrylic on canvas, 50(h) X 100(w) cm
Sunlit Wave against Shadowed Cliff acrylic on canvas 24(h) X 30(w) cm
Breaking Wave over Shoreline Rocks, acrylic on linen, 90(h) X 90(w) cm
Outer Hebridean Shore, acrylic on linen, 80(h) X 120(w) cm
Passing Between the Rocks, Girvan, acrylic on linen, 110(h) X 160(w) cm
Breaking Wave at Porthcawl, acrylic on canvas, 46(h) X 111(w) cm
Breaking Wave at Fistral Beach, acrylic on linen, 40(h) X 60(w) cm
Yachts Racing (Christophe Launay), acrylic on panel, 52(h) X 111(w) cm
Towering Waves, Swansea, acrylic on linen, 130(h) X 190(w) cm
Sea Study 71, oil on canvas, 43(h) X 83(w) cm
Natalie Vardey Jewellery Natalie Vardey works from her studio in Galloway to create jewellery in sterling silver with freshwater pearls and labradorite. She occasionally makes use of gold or oxidised silver to provide a contrasting highlight. Her signature design is a lace which has been intricately worked in fine silver threads. Natalie studied jewellery at the Sir John Cass School of Art in London from 1973 to 1977 and established her current workshop in Galloway in 1990. She is a member of the British Jewellers Association and has been actively involved with the Spring Fling Open Studios in Dumfries and Galloway for many years.
Amanda Simmons Glass Amanda Simmons is at the pinnacle of her profession with an international reputation for her kiln formed glass vessels. This current body of work explores her emotional response to the sea, the lives of sea birds and the wave paintings of Vernon Jones. She manipulates mass, heat, colour and time to create complex, elusive glass pieces that have intense colour and layered patterns. Amanda studied glass and architecture as a post-graduate at Central St Martin’s College of Art & Design, London, in 2003 and 2004. She has been the recipient of awards from the Crafts Council and Creative Scotland, including a travel grant to SOFA in Chicago to take part in a panel discussion in 2014. During her residency at Northlands Creative Glass in 2011 she was inspired by the land, sea and sky around Lybster in Caithness. Her work is held in the collections of the National Museum of Scotland.
Vernon Jones, Amanda Simmons & Natalie Vardey ‘The Sea, The Sea’ 9th - 30th May 2015 Castle Gallery, 43 Castle St, Inverness, IV2 3DU www.castlegallery.co.uk 01463 729512