The Great Atlantic Map Works Gallery

Richard Stanley was captivated by the Penwith Peninsula during his student days in Falmouth, and paintings attempt to capture the diversity of the region from the hedge rows around St Just, the intensity of light at Cape Cornwall, the surf of Sennen Cove to the rugged beauty of Zennor Head.

His paintings evolve from an inherent reaction to the diversity of the landscape, primarily concerned with facets of weather and light. The images are not just a representation of the peninsula but also his emotional response to the landscape.

”My work is not just a snap shot of a place at one instant in time as a photo is. Rather it is a record of the place over a period of time, summing up my feelings for the environment for the time I have spent with it.

“I draw inspiration from the colours around me and enjoy applying paint in a manner that captures the landscape. I always feel excited about those unexpected, ‘happy mistakes’ when something doesn’t go to plan, but you discover a new way of working because of it. Innovation is also inspiring, driving me to find the new and different ways of producing my artwork.

“I embrace a range of techniques in terms of mark making and expression; a layering, back and forth process; scraping back or re-working to produce a surface that imitates the landscape itself.”

Though born in Nottingham, Richard Stanley grew up in a remote part of North Devon. After obtaining distinctions in Art and Design from the North Devon College, Richard continued his education in the arts, achieving a first class honours degree in Illustration from University College Falmouth. Apart from his personal painting, he works as a successful Devon-based illustrator, represented by agents in London and New York, who provide him with commissions from both national and international clients. “Training as an illustrator has provided me with the draftsmanship skills that are a key foundation in all my work”, he says.

www.greatatlantic.co.uk/stanley
www.greatatlantic.co.uk/richardstanley