SEA SIGNS SEA SIGNS Brian Crouch
Brian Crouch
Brian Crouch
SEA SIGNS A retrospective exhibition of constructions and paintings
• Sea - Vertical
1960-1990
Brian Crouch
SEA SIGNS A retrospective exhibition of constructions and paintings
• Sea - Vertical
1960-1990
Brian Crouch
SEA SIGNS I was born and grew up in Brighton on
Later, with fellow-students from
the Sussex coast, so the sea has always
Brighton School of Art, on gloriously
been part of my background. Although
sunny days released from more
I have long since moved away from
serious studies in the Life-class to
direct contact and into a different
lounge on the beach with sketch-
landscape, I have a memory which is
books as cover for doing very little,
like a deep longing for the large sky
we watched waves breaking on the
and intense upwards-reflected light
shingle and the few fishing boats
found in places near the sea.
drawn up on the beach.
That light of childhood memory was
My student paintings were
always of sun and a pebbled beach,
concerned with the conventional
and since we lived some two miles
subject-categories of figure, still-life
inland from “The Front”, as Brighton
and landscape, containing no
promenade is popularly called, we
reference to the sea. Only some years
only went there by bus and for the
later when my wife and I brought a
occasional pleasures of bucket, spade
cheap caravan as outlet and escape
and picnic on a beach of hard
from London for a family of very
pebbles.
young children and sited it on
I remember walking on the slatted
Sussex coast did my real involvement
decking of Palace Pier, looking down
with the sea begin and the theme of
into that unknown element in which
“the sea” enter my work, initially
I was unable to swim; of running my
through drawings made directly on
hand along the smooth white
the beach and then in paintings
painted balustrade of decorative
made in my London converted-
ironwork, warm to the touch in the
bedroom “studio”.
hot sun.
• Sea - Disk
Winchelsea Beach, further along the
Brian Crouch
SEA SIGNS I was born and grew up in Brighton on
Later, with fellow-students from
the Sussex coast, so the sea has always
Brighton School of Art, on gloriously
been part of my background. Although
sunny days released from more
I have long since moved away from
serious studies in the Life-class to
direct contact and into a different
lounge on the beach with sketch-
landscape, I have a memory which is
books as cover for doing very little,
like a deep longing for the large sky
we watched waves breaking on the
and intense upwards-reflected light
shingle and the few fishing boats
found in places near the sea.
drawn up on the beach.
That light of childhood memory was
My student paintings were
always of sun and a pebbled beach,
concerned with the conventional
and since we lived some two miles
subject-categories of figure, still-life
inland from “The Front”, as Brighton
and landscape, containing no
promenade is popularly called, we
reference to the sea. Only some years
only went there by bus and for the
later when my wife and I brought a
occasional pleasures of bucket, spade
cheap caravan as outlet and escape
and picnic on a beach of hard
from London for a family of very
pebbles.
young children and sited it on
I remember walking on the slatted
Sussex coast did my real involvement
decking of Palace Pier, looking down
with the sea begin and the theme of
into that unknown element in which
“the sea” enter my work, initially
I was unable to swim; of running my
through drawings made directly on
hand along the smooth white
the beach and then in paintings
painted balustrade of decorative
made in my London converted-
ironwork, warm to the touch in the
bedroom “studio”.
hot sun.
• Sea - Disk
Winchelsea Beach, further along the
• Substance and Shadow
• Sea - Sign 2 • Sea - Sign 1
I had been working with circular forms in a series of drawings I made somewhat earlier than the sea-pieces, and also in the construction “Substance and Shadow”, the title of which encapsulates an idea which it seems has always been with me, the theme of contrasts resolved and in visual terms contained and reconciled.
Naturally I recognised the disc-like components of the Rye Harbour signs as having a particular application to the new work. Structurally, circles are very strong shapes, they contain and enclose; you can hang things on and around them, and they are a useful foil to contrasting elements. The “discs” to me are a three-dimensional aspect of the circle.
• Substance and Shadow
• Sea - Sign 2 • Sea - Sign 1
I had been working with circular forms in a series of drawings I made somewhat earlier than the sea-pieces, and also in the construction “Substance and Shadow”, the title of which encapsulates an idea which it seems has always been with me, the theme of contrasts resolved and in visual terms contained and reconciled.
Naturally I recognised the disc-like components of the Rye Harbour signs as having a particular application to the new work. Structurally, circles are very strong shapes, they contain and enclose; you can hang things on and around them, and they are a useful foil to contrasting elements. The “discs” to me are a three-dimensional aspect of the circle.
Found objects were mainly culled from the top of the sloping shingle banks on Winchelsea Beach. Beachcombing yielded a marvellous collection of pebbles; seaweed from which I later made drawings in order to refresh my memory for organic shapes; rope, weathered timbers and driftwood sculpted by the sea; and pieces of fishing net threaded with vivid blue, green and orange colours. I always wanted to make a setting for the things I collected, to show them off in a constructed “seascape” and so combined them with painted elements fabricated from wood. The example and inspiration of Picasso’s wonderful cubist constructions and the sculptural pieces in which he incorporated found-objects was always at the back of my mind in making my own pieces. Of course his constructions, although very often quickly and roughly made like rapid sketches, are very much more complex and sophisticated in terms of the visual games he played in questioning the basis of visual reality.
• Fish-Bird Sea Construction
• Sea - Sign Oval
• Sea - Construction with rope
Found objects were mainly culled from the top of the sloping shingle banks on Winchelsea Beach. Beachcombing yielded a marvellous collection of pebbles; seaweed from which I later made drawings in order to refresh my memory for organic shapes; rope, weathered timbers and driftwood sculpted by the sea; and pieces of fishing net threaded with vivid blue, green and orange colours. I always wanted to make a setting for the things I collected, to show them off in a constructed “seascape” and so combined them with painted elements fabricated from wood. The example and inspiration of Picasso’s wonderful cubist constructions and the sculptural pieces in which he incorporated found-objects was always at the back of my mind in making my own pieces. Of course his constructions, although very often quickly and roughly made like rapid sketches, are very much more complex and sophisticated in terms of the visual games he played in questioning the basis of visual reality.
• Fish-Bird Sea Construction
• Sea - Sign Oval
• Sea - Construction with rope
Brian Crouch
Over a period of time, from 1979 to 1985, I made some thirty constructions including 14 “sea-pieces”, and apart from drawing, worked almost exclusively in that medium. I came to the point where I felt that was enough for the
time being. I wanted to get back to a two-dimensional surface, but still liked the idea of physically constructing or fabricating a painting, hence the large “Sea-triptych” panels.
Born:
1929 Brighton
Solo Exhibitions:
Studied:
Brighton College of Art & Post-Graduate at the Royal Academy Schools, awarded David Murray Studentship for landscape painting.
Questors Theatre, Ealing 1963, 64; Grabowski Gallery, London 1966, 68, 71; Design Progression, London 1969; Hoya Gallery, London 1975; Kiln Gallery, Farnham, 1981, 87; Marylebone Gallery, London 1988; Hann Gallery, Bath 1990; Pike Gallery, London 1993 Pallant House, Chichester 1994; Kingston University 1995; Gallery 7, Hong Kong 1995.
Teaching in Fine Art Departments: 1962 – 1988 Sir John Cass School of Art Brighton College of Art West Surrey College of Art Epsom School of Art Kingston University External Examiner for University of Central London 1994-97 Touring Exhibitions Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre 1992 St. David’s Hall, Cardiff Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells Ludlow Arts Centre Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead Rhyl Arts Centre
Selected Group Exhibitions: Wildenstein, London 1957-63; The London Group 1959-61; Artists International Association 1962; Galerie Palette, Barmen, Germany 1962; Worthing Art Gallery 1963; Royal College of Art Galleries 1963, 64; Ashgate Gallery, Farnham 1968; Zaydler Gallery, London 1972; West Surrey College of Art 1976; Kingston Polytechnic 1984; New Ashgate Gallery Farnham
To view more recent work, visit the Brian Crouch website at www.briancrouch.net
Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre “Home and Away” 2000 Rhyl Colwyn Bay Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead Oriel Gallery, Theatre Clwyd, Mold • Sea - triptych 4 1989
Sea Signs - Brian Crouch • Finistère; Three studies 1995
24th April - 5th June 2004 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre S t . D a v i d ’s R o a d , C w m b r a n , To r f a e n N P 4 4 1 P D
Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre receives financial support from The Arts Council of Wales, Torfaen County Borough Council and Monmouthshire County Council Registered Charity no: 1006933. Company Limited by Guarantee no: 2616241
Brian Crouch
Over a period of time, from 1979 to 1985, I made some thirty constructions including 14 “sea-pieces”, and apart from drawing, worked almost exclusively in that medium. I came to the point where I felt that was enough for the
time being. I wanted to get back to a two-dimensional surface, but still liked the idea of physically constructing or fabricating a painting, hence the large “Sea-triptych” panels.
Born:
1929 Brighton
Solo Exhibitions:
Studied:
Brighton College of Art & Post-Graduate at the Royal Academy Schools, awarded David Murray Studentship for landscape painting.
Questors Theatre, Ealing 1963, 64; Grabowski Gallery, London 1966, 68, 71; Design Progression, London 1969; Hoya Gallery, London 1975; Kiln Gallery, Farnham, 1981, 87; Marylebone Gallery, London 1988; Hann Gallery, Bath 1990; Pike Gallery, London 1993 Pallant House, Chichester 1994; Kingston University 1995; Gallery 7, Hong Kong 1995.
Teaching in Fine Art Departments: 1962 – 1988 Sir John Cass School of Art Brighton College of Art West Surrey College of Art Epsom School of Art Kingston University External Examiner for University of Central London 1994-97 Touring Exhibitions Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre 1992 St. David’s Hall, Cardiff Wyeside Arts Centre, Builth Wells Ludlow Arts Centre Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead Rhyl Arts Centre
Selected Group Exhibitions: Wildenstein, London 1957-63; The London Group 1959-61; Artists International Association 1962; Galerie Palette, Barmen, Germany 1962; Worthing Art Gallery 1963; Royal College of Art Galleries 1963, 64; Ashgate Gallery, Farnham 1968; Zaydler Gallery, London 1972; West Surrey College of Art 1976; Kingston Polytechnic 1984; New Ashgate Gallery Farnham
To view more recent work, visit the Brian Crouch website at www.briancrouch.net
Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre “Home and Away” 2000 Rhyl Colwyn Bay Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead Oriel Gallery, Theatre Clwyd, Mold • Sea - triptych 4 1989
Sea Signs - Brian Crouch • Finistère; Three studies 1995
24th April - 5th June 2004 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre S t . D a v i d ’s R o a d , C w m b r a n , To r f a e n N P 4 4 1 P D
Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre receives financial support from The Arts Council of Wales, Torfaen County Borough Council and Monmouthshire County Council Registered Charity no: 1006933. Company Limited by Guarantee no: 2616241
SEA SIGNS SEA SIGNS Brian Crouch
Brian Crouch