Peter Stanway - Journeys by Peter Stanway

Journeys Peter Stanway

Journeys - Peter Stanway Cliff Sliding off the edge, falling into the sea. Here today, gone tomorrow. Beautiful space, beckoning.... Stay on the path, wind in your face. Look but don’t touch. Elation in the face of danger.

My desire to journey started as a young boy. I even dreamed of going on journeys. I started hitch-hiking around the UK at the age of fourteen and on my sixteenth birthday, I was waiting at the ferry point in Dover, England armed with my first passport that would allow me to journey throughout Europe. Over my teenage years, I journeyed through Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. My journey into adulthood took me to the Glasgow School of Art where I studied Fine Art and Mixed Media. I was disillusioned there by the pervading apathy among the students. After leaving Art School, my life journey took me into a career as a photographer. I set-up my first professional studio in Glasgow and quickly progressed from general photography to working mainly with the pop/rock culture in the UK and with the mainstream London-based music tabloids; ‘Sounds’, ‘Melody Maker’, ‘Smash Hits’ and ‘Noise’, etc., often covering their main feature for the front and centre pages. Altogether, I worked with over five-hundred different bands including some famous ones; Spandau Ballet, U2, Simple Minds, Haircut 100, The Bluebells, Altered Images, Culture Club, Toyah, UB40, Marillion, The Clash, The Jam and many Indie and Punk bands like, The Fall, The Exploited, Blancmange, The Anti-Nowhere League, The Birthday Party, The Associates to name a few. After having Arts Council backed exhibitions of my photographs from that time in galleries in Scotland and England, it was time for a change.

Cliff, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 54 x 63 cm.

I arrived in Cordoba, Spain in 1986 and spent over six years living and journeying extensively throughout southern Spain. I lived in Cordoba, Alhaurin el Grande, Torremolinos, La Carihuela, Antequera, Fuengirola, Marbella and Mijas. During that time I took up fine art again. I had exhibitions in La Victoria and in La Conquista in the province of Cordoba. In 1993, the journey of my life took a completely new direction. I trained for Christian ministry and in I997 until 2005 I worked as a full time minister in a church back in Glasgow. During that period, I formed a

Christian charity. The work of the charity allows me to journey to and through countries all over the world; Nepal, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Pakistan, India, Israel, Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, USA, Denmark, Holland, France, Italy and Spain. * For twenty years, or so, I put aside my art but I believe that with this touring exhibition another journey has begun and I am excited! I am planning that it will travel extensively visiting many places along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, France and Italy. I am fascinated by how the world around us is in a constant state of flux; by how it is forever changing, quickly or slowly, by nature and / or by man’s intervention. I am working from source images that no longer exist. They are transitory, captured for a moment in time, giving us a fleeting glimpse of something that we may otherwise miss. I would love you to accompany me on this journey. Please use the poems that complement the images.The poems are portals to help you to climb inside the images to have a look around. *Read my full autobiography, ‘Wee Boys from Glasgow Don’t Cry’. Available from: www.peterstanwaybooks.com

Obscured in the Mist Buoyant in the swell.... breathe in - breathe out. Fill your lungs with briney air, light headed with the rhythm. Jutting rocks and laden ships, above and below. Whirling thoughts and shimmering dreams dance on the horizon. The truth obscured in the mist.

Aurora Translucent, the transparent sky falls like dew Caressing a dry and thirsty land. Drinking, soaking, blushing, breaking; Life comes oozing back and saturates like a sponge.

Obscured in the Mist, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 54 x 63 cm.

Aurora, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 46 x 61 cm.

Bleak Peaty loch; drizzle and gloom. Bleak. All is still out here, suspended in the hush. Not a ripple.... Which way is up - does it matter? Enveloped in a cold, wet blanket of approaching dusk I relish the mystery.

Runway Who has passed this way? It was you and me, on a journey. Read the signs, they tell a tale. Did we go far or stay close by? Distance is not the issue, neither is destination. Where did we go on our journey, did we ever arrive? I hope so.

Bleak, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 20 x 20 cm.

Runway, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 38 x 61 cm.

Blue Moon Above the ocean courting the embers of a fiery goodbye she rises; searching in vain. Forlorn scars slash the blood-stained sky, evidence of her magnificent resistance. Two lovers destined never to meet, sharing the same space at different times. Crossing paths once in a blue moon, their embrace eclipsed, their glory shrouded.

Explosion 1 Boom! Crash, bang, whollop in a frenzy, Kinetic energy thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to control. Unharnessed power in random motion. Expressionism with an angle grinder.... Blue Moon, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 20 x 20 cm.

Explosion I, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 30.5 x 61 cm.

Explosion II Ricochet, painterly marks flying around, Blue on blue and red. Juxtaposed agitation with calm, “Slow down to a frenzy!”

Explosion III That was close, too close by far! It’s almost over; slow motion. Stay alert but breathe easy, There’s a rumble on the horizon.

Explosion II, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 45.75 x 61 cm.

Explosion III, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 43 x 61 cm.

Impression Sunset I Fragmented and blustery, the storm reflects on a broken mirror. Lashed, slashed and torn; ripped and hurled in a thousand directions... Now, standing firm on the rock we observe; buffeted but unharmed. Red sky promising hope for tomorrow...

Impression Sunset III Dispersing clouds catch fiery fragments, The sun is gone but not forgotten. Magnificent hues splashed all around, Catch a glimpse before tomorrow.

Impression Sunset I, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 61 x 91 cm.

Impression Sunset III, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 61 x 91 cm.

Tremor Did the earth shake or was that just me? The sun has gone; the palette changes. Here come the stars... Prepare yourself. Did you feel that tremor or was that just me?

Purple Sea Embers falling from the sky, The sea turns purple. All seems peaceful, the calm before the storm. I never heard the bang. Tremor, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 91 x 61 cm.

Purple Sea, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 35.5 x 61 cm.

Sky Sea Beach IV Looks like rain; Clouds gathering, sea choppy, beach damp. “Time for a coffee”, I said to no-one in particular.

Sky Sea Beach III Wow! That’s a rough sea. Best to lay down on the beach, Spread out and hold on. The spinning will stop, won’t it? Sky Sea Beach III, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 43 x 61 cm.

Sky Sea Beach IV, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 51 x 63 cm.

Red Line Floating, floating. Shadows like distant memories, vague. Rise above it, move on. ‘Out, damn’d spot! Out, I say!’ Playing continually in my mind, tormenting like a plague, Humming like a vibration; reverberating, here to stay.

Sky Sea Beach 1 Broad bands of various activities; A busy beach of red-hot sand, An inviting sea of gentle currents, A shimmering sky of ghostly memories. Sky Sea Beach I archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 33 x 61 cm.

Red Line, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 91 x 61 cm.

Pink 1 Intimate, sensual embrace, lost in rapture, pretty in pink. Kissing as lovers do, flushed and vibrant. Blissfully naked, exposed; innocent. Weaving patterns of intricate fondness in the manner of Klimt.

Pink II Blushing and coy, partially hidden, Yet tantalizingly revealed. Soft and rough, pink and blue, skin and bone. I can see you; I know you want me to.

Pink I, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 15 x 62 cm.

Pink II, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 15 x 62 cm.

Pink III Split in two, divided but still joined. We were one, together with our own identities. I can see where we have come from And I can see where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going.....

Orange and Green Orange and green should never be seen! Says who? Nobody told Mother Nature when she pours out her kaleidoscope each season. Sound a fanfare, here she comes, adorned in splendour She catches your eye and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let go. Pink III, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 19 x 70 cm.

Orange and Green, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 43 x 61 cm..

Parched Dried, fried, broken and parched, The scalded earth eagerly anticipates the gathering storm. Soon, very soon, the clouds will fill and burst Pouring out their cargo of liquid pearls upon this damsel in distress.

Sea and Beach Lonely beach, rolling waves. Windy, hot and cold. In we go, not too far, Watch out for that breaker!

Parched, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 30.5 x 61 cm.

Sea and Beach , archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 35.5 x 61 cm.

Hot Phew! It’s hot, can you feel it? I’m heading for the horizon. It looks cooler there. I’m determined. You coming?

Tide Out As a mask peeled back the tide recedes to reveal what was hidden... Blood smears of a secret sin and lover’s stains like indelible ink. The sky weeps and cracks appear like an actor wearing last night’s make-up. Wash me again that I may be clean. Hot, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 45.75 x 61 cm.

Tide Out, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 38 x 61 cm.

Whatever Way the Wind Blows I’m holding on with both hands. Look at that horizon, it’s wild! I could leap into the big adventure And end up whatever way the wind blows....

Horizon on Fire Isolation, no-one for miles, looking out across the Atlantic, A vision opens, I’ve got company but there’s no-one around. I feel the texture close at hand, it’s real. My eyes stare in unbelief yet, I believe the horizon is on fire.

Whatever Way the Wind Blows, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 28 x 61 cm.

Horizon on Fire, archival digital pigment print, edition of 40, 45.75 x 61 cm.

Digital Pigment Prints

Questions and Answers

Acknowledgements

At the moment, photography is in a phase of change in which an altered conception of the documentary factor is emerging. It is not so much a matter of the portrayal or representation of reality, but rather of an artistically wellgrounded idea of the world. Thomas Weski, ‘Click Doubleclick: The Documentary Factor’, 2006.

What if the essence of nature, both seen and unseen, were captured before that moment in time escaped? What if in capturing that moment, the viewer could engage all senses while appreciating the finished piece? Artist Peter Stanway promises this experience through this series of new works now readily available to collectors worldwide.

Peter Stanway - Artist and Poet Website: www.peterstanwayart.com Email: peter@peterstanwayart.com Catalogue Design: Murray Robertson Email: mrobertson@glasgowprintstudio.co.uk

One of the fundamental criteria applied to the establishment of the Digital Suite at Glasgow Print Studio in 2003 was to facilitate artists access to, and time to experiment with, the relatively new medium of large format digital printing on fine art papers with high pigment archival inks. The studio also offers ‘one to one’ sessions with experienced staff to artists who are unfamiliar with the medium and wish to expedite the realisation of their ideas and concepts. Advances in software design and the processing power of personal computers has assisted developments and approaches to this new medium which has its roots in the techniques of the photographic darkroom and ultimately, the traditional printing press.

When looking for new pieces, art lovers express the desire to have a painting that is interactive and engaging. Discriminating collectors know that art is only art when they can gaze upon a composition and sense a connection; the extent of that connection depends on the emotion that surfaces, literally, in the work. Peter Stanway’s artwork intrigues, although seemingly transparent. It asks questions, while giving answers. His colours radiate life, hope and faith. While seemingly random, there is a strong sense of balance and purpose in each image.

Imagery can be produced either via camera, scanner or created directly in applications that specialize in digital painting, dark room techniques or three dimensional modelling. Any number of these methods can be combined and manipulated to produce the final image. The completed ‘file’ is then ideally sent to a software RIP (raster image processor) which facilitates complete control over colour output and is then printed onto high quality fine art paper with light-fast high pigment inks. The achievements of Peter Stanway are testament to both the success of the facility and the skills of an artist who has instinctively grasped the potential of the digital imaging process, and who creatively exploits it to great effect. Murray Robertson

There is no ‘pigeon holed’ definition of beauty; after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When viewing paintings, you may see flowers, I may see rain. You may feel a surge of energy and I may sense rest. Stanway gets that; he understands that art is a conversation between ‘canvas’ and collector. May his work speak for itself. Mary Nichelson