Language of Colour

13th November to 28th November

 

Sou’-Sou’-West Arts Gallery are delighted to welcome internationally respected abstract artist Patrick Jones and Nigel Moores with their joint exhibition of paintings,‘Language of Colour’.  The show celebrates colour as an entity, with its own 'logic', that can express all of our emotions and responses to life.  Patrick and Nigel share in the belief that the language of colour is open to us all and rather like music, all we need to do is to experience it. True, there is a subjective response which is unique to each of us but at its deepest level, it can communicate, move us and transcend words.  Therefore, the title chosen for this marvellous exhibition is very apt.  It reflects both sides of the coin: ‘Colour’, which gives pleasure, and ‘Language’ which refers to using abstraction as a reference point.  

Image: 'The Wild' by Patrick Jones

Renowned east Devonshire painter Patrick Jones has spent his life developing paintings which use his experience of the real world, such as movement, atmosphere or sound, without needing to  illustrate it.  He likes to work in acrylics on large unprimed canvas, improvising a varied technique, like a giant watercolour. The pigment is highly charged and intense, so working flat on the floor allows the thin washes to overlay and dry.  With decades of experience, Patrick has developed a rich visual language, having truly mastered the art of allowing the work to emerge from within,  and the results are bold, vibrant and emotive.

 Patrick will be giving a talk in the gallery on Saturday 20th November at 3:30 pm, on abstraction, and hopes to explain to listeners how to come across an abstract picture and how to get the most out of it.   

Image: 'Making The Link' by Nigel Moores

Complementing Patrick’s work are bold and beautiful abstracts by Devon-based painter Nigel Moores.  Nigel says, that for his part, the subject is not clear at the outset. He paints not knowing. It is a process of discovery, to find what lies within, what memory, dream or emotion is to manifest itself. Getting into another realm of being, is the only way he knows how to paint. The rational and deliberate path, for Nigel, always leads to disappointing outcomes. He feels a need to arrive at the final piece not only wondering how he got there but also very surprised. It is finished when the subject is made clear. He says, ‘a piece that has no meaning for me, is not a painting’.

Nigel titles his work so as to give a clue as to the subject, whilst allowing the observer the freedom to interpret in light of their own experiences.

 Although Nigel usually works in oils, for this show he has largely used acrylics on unprimed canvas and expresses gratitude to Patrick for his constant inspiration and encouragement in this.