Nigel Shipley

Bristol, Bristol , United Kingdom

About Nigel Shipley

I was born in Wiltshire in the UK, and now live in Bristol which is in the south west of England. My paintings are held in collections in the UK, USA and Europe. About my painting: Leonardo da Vinci urged artists to search for inspiration in the dirt on walls or the streaked patterns in stones. In the same way I have found that the accidental blot, the chance mark, or the naturally occurring stain can be a starting point for my art. Controlled accidents play a part in my paintings. Sometimes I allow oil and water based paints to react so as to create a natural fracturing. This process creates patterns through a natural process which echo those found in nature such as the splitting of a lighting bolt, or the way in which a river delta splits into many different streams. Other controlled accidents occur when paint is splashed or scraped across a surface. Painting an abstract image is like feeling your way in the dark. For me, each stage of the painting process must be carefully though through before it is executed. For example, when choosing colour combinations I will make several small sketches to try out various colour options, and then pick the one that is best. Before a splash of paint is added I will experiment with different ways of splashing paint on scraps of paper to find a way of achieving the effect that I want. I work on several paintings at a time, sometimes over several months. The key moment when I make decisions about what to do next is in the moment when I see a half finished painting for the first time after a break of a day or so. At that moment my view of it is fresh, but after working on it for an hour or two I can loose that objectivity. Also, by coming back to a painting after a few days when the paint has dried, new layers can be added which may be part of the creation of a sense of depth.

Education:

• Harrow School of Art – Foundation in Art and Design 1973 - 1974

• Norwich School of Art – BA (Hons) Fine art 1974 – 1977

Exhibitions:

October 2016 - solo exhibition HOURS gallery Bristol, UK
December 2016, Clifton Fine Arty, Bristol, UK.
April 2017 - Bath Art Fair, Bath, UK
September 2017 - Other Art Fair, Saatchi, Arnolfini, Bristol, UK
October 2017 - solo exhibition, HOURS gallery, Bristol, UK

Nigel Shipley

About Nigel Shipley

Education:

Exhibitions:

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