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Peter John Wells |
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Bath Academy of Art
(1977-80) |
Peter John Wells was born in Kenya in 1958. He first exhibited at the
Royal Academy when he was twenty one. He has subsequently had many exhibitions in London, Bruxelles and with The British Council
in India 1996, 2000 and 2007. He was chosen as the Guardian artist of the month in 1999 and has been illustrated in The
Independent, The Guardian, Resurgence and other magazines in the UK and abroad, He has illustrated children’s books for
Action Aid and has designed sets for The Opera Director Ian Burton. IN 2007 he was invited to show one of his sculptures at
Glastonbury Festival and in 2008 had a one man exhibition of Tamil Nadu paintings in The Victoria Gallery, Bath. He was also invited to decorate one of king Bladud's
pigs in the same city. He is now working on the set design for Tristan and Isolde directed by Ian Burton, lighting Patrick Woodroffe. |
Painting :
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Peter Wells has come time and time again to India to paint, as we are told by BBC producer and writer Charles Higson in the catalogue, “ a country full of the colours he has always wanted to paint, the light he always wanted to use, the people places and ideas he had always wanted to explore.” India becomes a dreamland come true. Although Wells likes to delve into themes such as Santoor players, Gometaswara and crocodiles, he moves far away from the formal presentation of these subjects. His portraits are entirely different from the kings and Queens we have seen from earlier periods, precisely because of the personal links he is able to forge with the ordinary people. Wells paints how he feels, not merely how the subject appears. While it is only natural that we look for stylistic influences: Picasso, Matisse, Bhupen Karkar . His refreshing use of Gouache and Watercolour is something to look out for. |
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- Bharati Chaturvedi Hindustan Times |
| Travelling : |
Peter spends six months of the year travelling in India and creates many of his pieces while he is there, other work he recreates at home in England during the brief English summer, working from pencil sketches, pen and ink drawings, photographs, entries in his journals, and all the odd bits and pieces he collects. In India he travels not as a tourist staying in five star hotels but as an ordinary person, living and mixing with ordinary people. While travelling he teaches art and has learned much from his pupils (in terms of simplicity and directness of approach) as they have learned from him. As contributing through his teaching Peter also contributes finacially through the sale of his work, some of which has gone to Action Aid, a charity working in India. Back in England he lives frugally on a small boat outside the beautiful city of Bath. |
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- Charlie Higson
BBC Producer |
| Influences : |
One of the main influences on Peter's work has been Bhupen Kharkar. More information about his influence on this Bhupen Kharkar link. |
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