Views of the South West | Andrew Hood
Whether it’s unsuspecting tourists strolling down the streets of Paris, or the bustling of crowds at the souks in Marrakech, Andrew Hood is adept at capturing the energy and movement of a busy city, and often seeks out an aerial viewpoint from which to observe the buzz of people and traffic on the streets below. However, in his new body of work the landscape and architecture of small Cornish towns, such as St Ives and Fowey, take centre stage.
Boats at Fowey Estuary | 70x70cm | Oil
Andrew’s last series of paintings was based on a trip to the East coast of Sicily, where a cable car connecting the historic centre of Taormina to Mazzarò beach provided him with a fantastic vantage point from which to sketch. In contrast, much of Andrew’s work from his travels around Cornwall depicts the landscape at eye level, placing the viewer on the winding, narrow streets of St Ives, or inviting them to peer between houses to catch a glimpse of the boats on the Fowey estuary.
St Ives Study
St Ives Study II
Although the earthy colour palette of Andrew’s Sicilian paintings has shifted to include more grey and green hues, there remains a sense of movement in these new works, which mirrors the wildness of the sea and changeable weather; a defining feature of the South West of England. The frantic human busyness depicted in Andrew’s cityscapes gives way to the more elemental rhythms of the Cornish coastal landscape.
Despite this being Andrew’s first major painting trip to Cornwall we suspect it won’t be his last - as Andrew says:
“Painting in Cornwall does make me appreciate what a beautiful country we have and I think it makes me spend more time near the coast. The more I go the more I want to go back.“
We look forward to seeing more of his travels around the county!
Back Street St Ives | 65x50cm | Oil
Main Street St Ives | 75x60cm | Oil
We are delighted to be exhibiting Andrew’s series of paintings based around the Cornish coastline at the Affordable Art Fair Bristol (8th – 10th September). Get in touch for tickets to the fair and subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date with all our latest news.
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