Tower and Town, April 2018

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Arts Review

Kick starting 2018 at The White Horse Gallery was A Sense of Place by Wiltshire- based artist and Emeritus Professor at Bath School of Art and Design, Ron George.

Having never really commented on the size and scale of artwork that hangs (or stands) in the gallery, I think it worth mentioning that A Sense of Place is the first show we’ve had with canvas paintings up to two metres in size. Describing them as simply ‘bold’ would be dull, and perhaps a little crude. Opinions aside, Knight Crossing River and Bonjour m’Lord look magnificent in the gallery.

George describes much of his work as ‘traditional subjects set in contemporary contexts using traditional painting techniques’. The subjects he favours, and often returns to, are the reclaimed landscapes of East Anglia and the Severn Estuary. The collection consists of work inspired from different parts of the United Kingdom and abroad, the roots of inspiration deriving from the beauty of the natural world, and man’s exploitation of it.

The paintings in this exhibition span the figurative, landscape and abstract. Most of the landscape paintings are oil on canvas, with a selection of portrait paintings produced in the same medium. There are also some pieces of mixed media on panel wood, as well as a couple of working sketchbooks on display. The exhibition demonstrates a ‘continuing process of enquiry’, prompting the viewer to understand his/her surroundings, and the experiences lived within them.

A Sense of Place is striking. These paintings are challenging, organic, intense and impactful. Something that has particularly stood out for me is the palpable use of colour, and the effect it has on the white walls of the gallery. A space full of colour, they are rich, powerful and commanding.

A Sense of Place was at The White Horse Gallery from 31st January to 3rd March 2018.

Gabriella Venus