The Bullfinch

The Bullfinch 2014

The bullfinch is surrounded by fragments of information describing both the natural and man-made world. There is a sense that this information has been sought, viewed and downloaded on a hand held screen. This is indicated by the excellent wireless signal displayed in the top right hand corner.

James Read’s The Bullfinch is included in this year’s Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

See more by James Read at The Rowley Gallery.

Frames of reference

Why I Depict Birds In My Work

Digital StillCamera

The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.
Alberto Giacometti

I graduated from art college in 2008 having specialised in drawing and painting. It had been a challenging experience and I stumbled into the real world with a sense that I had been existing in a bubble for five years. I was determined to become an artist, to retain my creative integrity and to develop and further the skills I had gained at college. My degree show was packed full of birds and animals, but at this point my inspiration was taken from drawings of the old Victorian cabinets of the Chambers Street museum in Edinburgh. Continue reading “Why I Depict Birds In My Work”

Frames of reference

Out Along Lee

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Sometimes it’s the Lee, other times it’s the Lea, and most times it’s confusing. The River Lea rises at Leagrave, north of London near Luton (Leatown) and flows south via Leyton (Leatown) to join the River Thames at Leamouth. Over the years many of its twists and turns got straightened out to make it more easily navigable and the artificial channels and canals became known as the Lee Navigation. Nowadays the river (Lea) and the canal (Lee) are almost indistinguishable. Continue reading “Out Along Lee”

Frames of reference

Forêt Des Cèdres

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One day last August, looking to escape the heat of Provence, we found some welcome shade in the Cedar Forest on the Petit Luberon ridge above Bonnieux. The forest was planted in the 19th century to rehabilitate an area damaged by intensive grazing. I’m reminded of The Man Who Planted Trees though I’m sure this forest was not sown by just one man alone. Continue reading “Forêt Des Cèdres”

Frames of reference

Blending In

Blending In

James Read brought five new paintings for display in the gallery, and then sent us a few words…

Blending In. The chameleon is presented larger than life and partially visible through layers of torn paper. Inspiration came from a bill posting site near my home in Oxford. Each new poster stands out for a day or two before blending rather beautifully into the soup of fragmented images. Continue reading “Blending In”

Frames of reference

More Miniatures

Lego Pompidou

Christopher Corr has been sending us photographs of miniature buildings. If he spots one he snaps it and it joins the collection. This is a Lego version of the Pompidou Centre seen at the Royal Academy’s Richard Rogers exhibition. Continue reading “More Miniatures”

Frames of reference