An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings by David Boyd
January 29 to April 23 at Penrith Museum
- Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm - Admission Free
While Eden Graphics provides an artistic outlet
for David at one level, including work for the National
Mountaineering Exhibition, illustrating a book 'Road to Paradise'
and an eighteen-month series of illustrated profiles of characters
in Eden Valley villages for 'Cumbria and Lake District Life'
magazine, recent experience points to higher artistic aspirations
and development of project scope, seeking to access new dimensions
of skill and integrated artistic expression. An approach by Penrith
Museum to mount an exhibition stimulated this current project.
Drawing is David's first love, and he doesn't go
anywhere without his sketch book. Setting off on a train journey he
will draw the station whilst waiting for the train, then set
himself the challenge to draw it again from the inside of the train
as it moves away. On a ship leaving Newcastle he will draw the
coast of Northumberland until just a dot in the distance, and then
in Amsterdam he will create a visual diary.
David uses gel pens. He says he loves the speed and fluidity and
the deep black line the pen leaves and the way it sometimes leaves
blobs of ink. He will rarely take the pen from the paper and
concentrates on one continuous line making the entire drawing,
sometimes smooth and deliberate, other times fast and furious, full
of vigour and energy. At other times he uses water colours,
pastels, oils, pencils . . . . anything that makes a mark.
In portraiture David draws and paints people he
knows well, people with personality, often those who have spent
their lives on the land. Focusing on the face he likes to capture
the whole ethos of the person. At times he becomes obsessed, often
painting through the night with no idea how much time has
passed.
He painted Doug Thompson as an old man of 88 years. Doug hated the
face, thought he looked 200 years old and couldn't understand why
David wanted to paint him. David only met Doug once and there was
an instant attraction to the man's character. He had had a long and
hard life, but was happy with it. Not tall, he was strong and had
handled some of the largest highland cattle in his younger days.
Childhood stories of climbing tall trees, politeness to nurses who
cared for him in later years, and of course the appearance of his
face, captured David's interest to paint.
David uses student-quality art materials. "I
don't like to be seduced by fancy hand-made papers and
artist-quality anything. I just look at hand-made papers and think
it's beautiful as it is. I prefer gel pen to pen and ink. I expect
the marks to do the communicating and the subject to override the
preciousness of materials".
"A pristine grass field and cosmetic red sky are never a
consideration or interest to me when painting. The subtle, earthy
colours and textures of a muddy field reveal so much more, a
manicured hand conveys nothing compared to the textured hand of an
outdoor worker. A new school satchel compared to one in use at
school for five years, or an old pair of trainers to me now tell a
story".
David Boyd's first exhibition is a fascinating
insight into his character, his brand of portraiture, as well as
his approach to other subjects.
Read more about David Boyd
A fully illustrated exhibition catalogue is on
sale, price £15, at the Museum through Penrith Tourist
Information Centre. For further information:
- Contact: Penrith Tourist
Information Centre, Robinson School, Penrith CA11 7PT
- Telephone: (01768) 867466
- Email:
pen.tic@eden.gov.uk
- Fax: (01768) 891754
For information on this and forthcoming
exhibitions:
- Contact: Dr Sydney T Chapman or
Mrs Judith Clarke, MA, AMA, Joint Curators, Penrith Museum,
Robinson School, Penrith CA11 7PT
- Telephone: (01768) 212228
- Email:
museum@eden.gov.uk
- Fax: (01768) 891754
