Press Cuttings

INFLUENCE OF NATURE ON CUMBRIAN ARTISTS

Work by an exciting and diverse group of artists can be seen in the spring exhibition at Red Barn. The Melkinthorpe gallery plays host to artworks in a variety of media, from stunning skyscapes rendered in vivid acrylic to intricate embroidery depicting the Cumbrian Fellsides.

Artists whose work is on display include Paul Cousins, Eric Appleton, Betty Morris and James Walsh. There's also ceramic art from Karen Atherley and jewellery by Donna Barry. The exhibiton runs until April 29. 

Above Picture: 'Vapour Trail' by Paul Cousins, part of Red Barn's latest exhibition

• Cumberland News 14th March 2008

MY FIRST trip out to Red Barn was just over a year ago. And I remember well how excited I was to discover the gallery, which sits superbly in the hamlet of Melkinthorpe, just 40 minutes or so by car up the A6 from Kendal.

We even sampled the Mediterranean delights of its Greenhouse restaurant, which is well worth a visit in itself.

Not forgetting the adjoining Larch Cottage Nurseries graced with plenty of nature's own artwork.

Red Barn has just opened its spring exhibition with James Walsh, Paul Cousins, Eric Appleton and Betty Morris, from the Sefton Guild of Artists, displaying work alongside dynamic ceramics from Lincolnshire-based Karen Atherley; paintings by Jean Laing, from East Lothian; and jewellery by Donna Barry, who is from Edinburgh.

• Westmorland Gazette. Friday April 4 2008

Seeing is believing - By Rosalind Gibb

On first sight, Martin Greeland’s brooding landscapes appear to have been copied from real life or photographs, but on closer inspection it becomes clear his paintings are of worlds that exist only in his imagination.

It is this mix of reality and mystique that has won the painter critical acclaim and one of the most sought-after prizes in the country.

Currently exhibiting as part of “Exhibition Two 08”, at Red Barn Gallery, Melkinthorpe, near Penrith, the artist explains: “I paint using landscapes, but I’m not classified as a landscape painter because it can tie you down.

“I am free to do what I want, and ideas develop on canvas as I start to work. Sometimes I incorporate things into the work and only later realise what I have done. I have a huge number of ideas and my paintings are based on things I know or have thought about.

“I don’t paint real life places. It’s about creating an illusion, fooling people a bit, because they look convincing and have parallels with real life.”

The 46-year-old lives in Bowness-on-Windermere with wife Carole and their two children, where he has his studio. He produced eight paintings and two drawings in a matter of weeks for this exhibition: “I used to work more in a surreal vein but have abandoned that slightly. I paint in a straighter fashion now, but there is still an underlying presence so things aren’t quite as they seem. I like my work to be seen on various levels.”

Martin graduated from Exeter College of Art with first class honours in fine art (painting), and exhibited in galleries in London for a number of years before returning north.

Martin won the coveted John Moores 24 in 2006. His painting, Before Vermeer’s Cloud, was chosen from 2,300 entries which were first viewed as slides. One of the judges, Sir Peter Blake, said about Martin’s painting: “When it came through as a slide, it seemed to be a very traditional landscape – at that point, it could have not got through. Then suddenly, you realise that there’s this little tower that looks like a child’s toy – and you think, what’s that about?

“At first sight a very traditional landscape that then becomes mysterious.”

Previous winners of the biannual award include David Hockney, Euan Uglow and Peter Doig. Martin won £25,000 and had his painting bought by the Walker Art Gallery Collection. “It was a bit of a shock,” he admits. “The Turner Prize has taken the limelight in recent years but the John Moore award is a very significant competition in the UK, certainly the richest, and one of the biggest awards in Europe.”

Naturally, the award led to great interest in his work. Though he continues to exhibit across the country, Martin has many interests in Cumbria. One of his first exhibitions following the John Moore award was at Red Barn, and he is a member of the Lake Artists’ Society.

Though he doesn’t paint real-life landscapes, he still uses the Cumbrian scenery as inspiration: “I am influenced by the southern landscape, from the time I spent in Devon, and the local landscape has crept into my work slowly. At The Solstice, in the Red Barn exhibition, is not of a particular place, but reminiscent of Whitbarrow, which is a personal and private place for me. It’s near where I live and I go there quite a bit. I do drawings and also sound recordings, which I take back and use in my studio. Painting is like a walk, an exploration, but if I’m inspired by a landscape, I don’t paint the places or landscapes I encounter, I paint about them.”

Above Picture: The Scent of Green, oil on canvas by Martin Greenland