Peter Knight
Anyone familiar with the Jersey Arts World will recognise these unique abstracted, geometric hard-edged paintings depicting Jersey?s varied coastline. Peter Knight, the artistic behind these pieces is exhibiting for the second time at The Sir John Cheshire Gallery this month.
His latest collection continues to focus on the Jersey Coastline, but incorporates new techniques and observations as one would expect from any artist developing and experimenting. His main style with strong colour will always be abundant, however alongside this more graphic approach, as an art teacher he encourages the use of varied media and has continued to experiment with materials to produce work with more texture and different surfaces resulting in a more tactile quality. Using slate, tissue, corregated card and PVA adhesive in varied thicknesses, this has allowed him to make rhythmic trails, patterns, & movement across the canvas. He has been reinfocing this by working with several schools on Environmental and Re-cycling projects using these materials and others gathered from the seashore, culminating in large murals for long term display.
This new exhibition will include a number of canvasses on the theme of sand patterns and pools. Previously, two of his most successful paintings based on low tide were Plemont Surf and Plemont Rock Pools, which are easily recognisable. However, for recent studies on this theme Peter has used St Ouen?s at low tide, which tends to focus on detail and does not directly relate to a specific location. Peter said of his work, ?St Ouen?s is constant source of inspiration for me, particularly in the vicinity of Rocco Tower. You have to move quickly if you see interesting sand patterns and pools because the beach changes quickly and they can change or disappear in hours rather than days. Gorey beach is another location for intricate patters at low tide and my most recent painting is based on a view there and of course the castle and harbour is an excellent backdrop?.
Much of Peter?s work can be viewed and purchased from The Harbour Gallery, and he also takes commissions.
Visit www.peterknightartjersey.co.uk
for more information.
Exhibition: 8th to 25th July
The Sir John Cheshire Gallery
Private View Monday 7th July 5.30 ? 7.30
Ian Rolls 
?Outside Looking In? – an exhibition of recent work by Ian Rolls
The Framing Workshop will be hosting the latest collection from local artist Ian Rolls this month, entitled ?Outside Looking In?, inspired by recent changes in his life.
Last September, Ian relocated to Devon with his wife Ruth and son Tom, to enable Tom to have an alternative and creative secondary education at the South Devon Steiner School. Having spent the majority of his life in Jersey, the change was both exciting and daunting. For him, it was exciting to have a beautiful new landscape to explore and be inspired by and a very vibrant cultural scene to tap into, but daunting to establish himself as an artist in a new place where he knew no-one and no-one knew of him.
By exploring locations, looking long and hard, drawing on the spot and getting a feel of the place, Ian established a new studio, painting, making contacts, painting, setting up exhibitions, painting, putting images into print, and more painting. ?At every stage in my new life I was encouraged and motivated by what I had achieved in Jersey as an artist. I saw myself building on my Jersey success rather than trying to create something to replace it?, explains Ian.
Showing this new collection of paintings in the island seems entirely appropriate to Ian, even though much of it may be of unfamiliar locations. When painting the Jersey landscape again it was with a renewed fondness and a fresh eye. Anyone who comes to see these new paintings at this exhibition will recognise Ian?s wrong-handed wayward drawing style, the vivid use of watercolour and the same sense of fun and exhilaration to be living and working in a stunning place.
But less familiar will be the mega thick oil paintings (even thicker than those of the island coastline in the Arts Centre exhibition of a few years ago) and large detailed watercolours of architecture and river activity on the Thames in London. ?Outside Looking In? is essentially about looking, whether from outside or within the island is less important, ?The painting is what matters, not necessarily what it is of??.
?Outside Looking In?, Saturday 12th to Saturday 26th July
Framing Workshop, Don Street, St. Helier
