Anthony Skates NAPA
My artistic practise is based almost entirely in the medium of Acrylic. I utilise it for both development processes and in the completion of finished work. The context of my work is also governed by a self-imposed focus upon the natural and historic landscape which are created in a realistic (but not photo-realist manner). This is in part driven by personal preference and in part by the local landscape of the Wye Valley and its surrounding areas where I am currently located.
The majority of my paintings are produced using canvas as a support but I have also undertaken a significant amount of exploration of the use of both prepared board and di-bonded aluminium. This last mentioned material was the subject of an short demonstration I undertook for the painter-online newsletter in 2016.
The images I produce have a hard -edged quality which is the result of working with some of the intrinsic qualities of Acrylic as a paint. I utilise a large amount of titanium white to moderate my colour and produce a matt finish which I often preserve by omitting the use of varnish. My style of mark is guided by the use of small scale brushes and the minimization of washes (other than as under-painting. My style and practise continue to evolve, however, and it is my intention to explore a looser style of expression in the coming years.
My exhibiting experience has stretched over a period of approximately 10 years and includes the following events:
Old Station Tintern - Big Meadow (Local Landscapes) 2010
Line and Strata 2 ( an touring exhibition of Welsh Landscape) 2010
Old Station Tintern – New landscapes 2011
Taurus Crafts Lydney – 2011
Art in Pennallt -2011
Gloucester Guildhall (Images of the city) 2012
Old Station Tintern - Recent Landscapes 2012
Court Cupboard Gallery , Abergavenny – Recent Landscapes 2011
Old Station Tintern Semi Permanent Exhibition of Landscape 2014-16
Dean Heritage Centre –Semi-permanent show of recent work 2017 -2028
Royal West of England Academy – Friends Exhibition 2019
Royal West of England Academy – Open Exhibition 2020
Further Information: Away from my personal practice as a painter I also work as Senior Partnership Manager for Creative and Cultural Skills ( https://www.ccskills.org.uk/ ) in the South West and West Midlands. In this role I work with partners in the sector to promote the development of Skills.
