Roy Petley

Roy Petley (born 3 April 1950

Petley paints en plein air, which is a French expression meaning "in the open air", to create his popular works that depict the wide expanse of English beaches and the gentle allure of Venetian landscapes. His works have been likened to those of John Constable, Edward Seago, and Campbell Mellon, British painters whose styles were influenced by the Barbizon School and Impressionism.

Beginning life in a children's home, he became one of the first artists to open an art gallery in Cork Street, a prestigious street lined with art galleries in London's Mayfair. His works are popularly collected by British royalty, including Queen Elizabeth The Queen MotIn every work of art, Petley incorporates a play of light and shadows. As he moves from his natural medium of oil to watercolour or pastel to sanguine, there remains a certain youthful light emanates from his paintings. A plein air painter, his works reflect his surroundings - from the quiet beaches of Norfolk and the picturesque parks of Paris, to his subtle nudes draped with sheets and sunlight. He captures the romanticism of days gone by, with nary a modern automobile or electrical appliance blemishing his canvas.

Renowned British art critic, Bria...

1968: Drawings, Bell Gallery, Belfast
1970: Liberty's Gallery, London; Heal's Gallery, London
1972: The Open Air Art Show, Green Park, London
1973: Crome Gallery, Norfolk
1975: Liberty's Gallery, London
1976: Heal's Gallery, London; One-Man Exhibition, Crome Gallery, Norwich; The Small Gallery, Norwich
1977: Crome Gallery, Norwich
1978: Traveling Show, East Anglian Marine Artists, Cambridge; One-Man Exhibition, Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames
1979: Traveling Show, East Anglian Marine Artists, Ipswich; Watercolours of Venice, Crome Gallery, Norwich; Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames
1980: Traveling Show, East Anglian Marine Artists, Cambridge
1981: Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames
1982: Australian Paintings, Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames
1983: Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames; Fermoy Gallery, King's Lynn
1984: Figures and Flowers, Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames; Casa de Cultura, Estepona, Spain; Alpine Gallery, London
1985: Century Gallery, Henley-on-Thames; One-Man Exhibition, Don Carlos Hotel, Marbella, Spain; Alpine Gallery, London; The Open Air Arts Show, Green Park, London
1986: Galeria Arte, Benehavis, Spain; Paintings from the Mediterranean,...