By the River

David Wiseman, ‘By the River’,
For Arts Sake,
October 3-20th,
45 Bond Street, Ealing, W5 5AS,
Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12-5pm;
Meet the Artist, Saturday 12 October, 2-5pm.

Landscape painter David Wiseman presents a new solo show of work inspired by the dancing light and movement of riverside scenes. In ‘By the River’, the Ealing-based artist captures the shifting moods and seasons of his local landscape, as well as idyllic spots in Devon, Wales and other corners of the British countryside.

The result is a captivating collection of playful, fluid paintings on paper and canvas – with overlaid marks and glazes reflecting the constant movement and change of the woodland glades and running streams.

“I’m attempting to express a feeling of flux in nature,” he says. “I want the paintings to be intriguing and ambiguous – suspended between the physical qualities of the paint and the magical illusions and evocations of the natural landscape.”

David’s pieces are created in his garden studio from drawings, photographs and memory in a loose, free-drawn and calligraphic way using a variety of brushes, rollers, scrapers and sponges. Preparatory roughs for smaller works are painted in situ: “When painting outside I try to convey the feeling of being part of the landscape.

“I’ve been a keen runner for many years and most of my running is done along the riverside and canal that inspires much of my painting. This allows me to be absorbed by the landscape as I pass through it, rather than seeing it as a picture postcard cut-out image.

Many of the works on show are based on the River Brent, which runs through Pitshanger Park surrounded by trees. “All those with Pitshanger in their titles are inspired by this beautiful little river,” he adds. “I am there very often; I particularly like the contrast between the tangled wooded riverbank and the ever-changing waters.” 

David has been painting for 40 years, since graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1975. While there, he received the John Minton Award and was later shortlisted for the National Gallery Artist in Residence.

He has exhibited widely in solo and group shows, including at the Serpentine Gallery, Peterborough City Museum, Kettles Yard Gallery, Cambridge, The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, Camden Arts Centre, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the London Group Open and Hayward Annual.

Public art commissions include large-scale murals for Charing Cross, Royal London, Frimley Cross and Ealing hospitals.

David will be joining us in the gallery on Saturday 12 October for a ‘Meet the Artist’ afternoon. Drop by from 2-5pm to learn more about his techniques and inspirations and enjoy a relaxed viewing of this glorious new show.