Landscapes of the South Downs and the Harbour
Chichester’s Oxmarket Contemporary is presenting an exhibition of watercolour paintings and drawings by Steve Pritchard (March 1527).
Steve has chosen to focus his exhibition on landscapes of the South Downs and Chichester harbour.
Andrew Churchill, gallery director, said: “He has drawn and painted since his early teens. At that time, he was very fortunate to know
Peter Norton of Compton who taught him to look, see and record. The almost mediative process allows him to express kindness, love and quiet contemplation in the landscape as he draws in pencil and paints in watercolour.
“Steve always draws and paints in the open, without distractions. When he’s ready, he works quickly and decisively. He does not linger over the moment. Steve enjoys the immediacy of the colour and translucency of watercolour; what appears through the pencil or the brush onto the paper is what is. From time to time Steve adds mottoes or notes, which echo the idea, emotion or path much in the manner of Wang Wei, who wrote of himself ‘In a past life, I was mistakenly a poet. In former existence I must have been a painter.’”
Andrew added: “Steve’s paintings will have great resonance for those familiar with the South Downs and Chichester Harbour. I think it is his practice of only painting outdoors, in front of and experiencing the landscape he wants to capture that makes them so powerful.
“For ten years Steve has worked assisting those experiencing old age and often dementia. Amongst the day to day business of physical and emotional care, Steve creates time to bring the quiet contemplation in his paintings, to discover peace in the moment.
“He has little formal schooling in the subject of painting and drawing, so he has practised instinctively over many years.”