FEATURED ARTISTHugh Dalzell
I always planned to paint and am fascinated by how paintings are put together.
Born in London and based in Richmond, I realised my long standing ambition when I began life-drawing at Putney School of Art (Annabel Cullen). Utterly hooked, I joined local classes at Richmond Adult Community College and then was lucky to work with Jason Bowyer in his studio at the Steam Museum and later with Francis Bowyer, Sallyann Putman and Heatherleys Open Studio. Becoming an RAS exhibiting member gave me a real boost.
En plein air
I now draw and paint most days and have lots of paintings on the go at the same time. With the ‘en plein air’ group I either start something new or develop work already started at a different location, every week from March to October. I cannot predict what an inspiration might be and there are no boundaries. I may be excited and start work immediately or I may mull it over for ages.
I love painting landscapes and seascapes and, especially, portraits despite John Singer Sargent’s warning that “every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend”. I paint anything I can see. I want to communicate my idea and express visually my response to location, mood, memory and what I observe with my own eyes. Although I do use photographs for reference I prefer to rely on my own perceptions rather than a camera’s image.
Process
Each idea makes its own demands as to composition, size, tone and colour and these change as a painting evolves. I scrape back, revise or show things that are abstract or not visible at all to get my idea across. Good drawing is important to me and in the effort to achieve it, my week includes at least two drawing sessions, one by the river with friends who have been drawing together for years and the other with a thriving life drawing group.
When a painting is nearing completion I move it around the house so that I come upon it from different angles and in different lights and backdrops, turn it upside down, look at it in a mirror, photograph it and go on making necessary adjustments (sometimes months later) for as long as I can. But sometimes I give it up and paint over it.
Influences
As to influences, what a wealth of inspiration there is, starting, of course, with the Masters. Those I admire most include Paul Gauguin, Georges Braque, Pierre Bonnard, John Singer Sargent, Gustav Klimt, Ferdinand Hodler, Maurice de Vlaminck and the Fauves who tore up the Rules. Among more contemporary influences are Laura Knight, Jason Bowyer, Fred Cuming and Norman Ackroyd. I want to know how their paintings are constructed and to get a better understanding will often try to make a similar work.
My high point is to have had work accepted by the New English Art Club which was exhibited at Mall Galleries and I am ambitious to have more work exhibited there, to continue to experiment, take risks and evolve as a painter.
Website: hughdalzell.com
Email:hugh@dalzell.info