ARTIST OF THE MONTH.
LANCASHIRE LIFE MAGAZINE.
JANUARY 2017.
“Rob Edmondson revels in the manipulation of paint even using squeegees to add light and colour.”
Since he ‘retired’ from teaching, Rob Edmondson has taken his tutoring skills to anew level. Leaving the school classroom behind he has worked for Lancashire Adult Learning, taught his own groups, and ran workshops and demonstrations with many adult art societies.
Enjoyable as it is to guide and encourage others, it’s safe to say this Lancashire lad is happiest when he is in his studio getting lost in his own work.
Originally a silk screen printer then a ceramicist, throughout his life he has been a painter working usually, but not exclusively, in acrylics and oils. Landscape is his primary interest.
‘The fall of the land, water and trees tend to be the subject matter that I concentrate on. I aim to grasp and understand the visual qualities of every view, taking account of the time of day, the weather conditions and the season.
‘Landscapes are living entities, constantly changing providing many visual possibilities. My paintings are representational, but through visual devices I hope to capture the mood of each special, secret place,’ he added.
Born in Preston, his family originates from Hesketh Bank where they were involved with the land as horticulturalists. His own father was a police sergeant in the villages around Chorley where he has spent the majority of his life after training to be a teacher in 1974.
Rob revels in the physical manipulation of the paint, experimenting with unusual techniques to gain evocative effects, using card, plastic, squeegees, palette knives and other tools, before applying detail with brushes. Implicit in each painting is the use of light, colour, depth and movement.
‘The potential for art is everywhere. The Lancashire landscape is a very familiar environment to me, but a great source of inspiration. However, trips abroad to Australia, Singapore and New Zealand have given my artwork a new outlook.’
Rob’s paintings are currently in several galleries in the North West, these include Arteology, in Colne, Gallery H in Arnside, Wolfhouse Gallery, in Silverdale, Arteria, Gallery23, in Lancaster and the Longitude Gallery in Clitheroe.
He has held solo exhibitions – in 2013 ‘Ebb and Flow’ in Liverpool with dot art and last year ‘Secret Places’ at Arteology in Colne. As well as original pictures which sell from £100 upwards, Rob also produces mounted and framed very limited prints – usually editions of five.
