David Hinchliffe, ‘In Search of the Light’
Over 25 people supported the Artist Talk at The Secret Gallery on Wednesday 2 October 2024. Artist David Hinchliffe is showing his paintings in a one-person exhibition there until the end of the month.
David explained how the body of work was developed over the last two years and mostly represents places near where he lives in Somerset but also Malaga in Spain where he has spent time working.
This collection of paintings explores the way that light affects landscape and colour through the seasons. Each painting is an individual expression of what David has seen and experienced over the last couple of years.
David said that painting is a process of discovery, sorting out ideas and exploring them. Much is related to creating a sense of place, through the manipulation of images, space, shape and colour. In his paintings he aims to keep everything provisional, fluid, and needing revision and alteration for as long as possible. This allows doubts and revisions to become a part of the subject of the picture, and his mental processes to be incorporated.
Sketchbook drawings are fundamental to the process of developing his ideas and thinking as work progresses. Many times there are layers of paint in a painting as work is reworked.
Some recent work has been developed ‘en plein air’, painting on the spot outside, to keep a piece fresh. The aim is not only to represent the subject matter, but also to show the process taken to reach it.
David mentioned key artists whose work he admires, these include Barbara Rae and Michael Andrews. The latter was quoted as saying he described painting as ‘‘the most marvellous, elaborate, complete way of making up my mind’’ which David said very much reflected his own view.
It was a wonderful evening, a great opportunity to talk with the artist and to see a comprehensive body of work by one person.
By Sara Rickard, Canopy volunteer
‘In Search of the Light’ by David Hinchliffe runs 2 – 26 October 2024 at The Secret Gallery, Newent: https://www.secretgallery.xyz/exhibitions
Canopy Creative Network 