‘Mr Impasto’ - the work of George Rowlett.

[Gary Hilton Walker]

If you like texture one of the more neglected elements of painting design, really getting your hands into the paint, then there’s nothing to match the thick impasto works of the plein air painter George Rowlett. He’s a pupil of Euan Uglow and also from the Frank Auerbach tradition but has created his own massive distinctive style. His work is one example of the diverse methods employed by artists painting in front of the subject en plein air. Later in his studio he then completes the paintings over time, some spanning as much as 10 years or more. One of many dedicated painters including many masters who amended and corrected, did everything in their pursuit of a great work of art while never violating their accepted plein air status. His work is thus an interesting contribution to Susan F. Greaves discussion, on correcting plein air works back in studio, and a great example of why we should probably not try to tie down the description of plein air to any methodology (alla prima, etc.), anything more than just work undertaken (whether part or whole) ‘in the open air’, ‘out-doors’, ‘in front of the subject’.

 

His ‘Rotherhithe Pier’ which sadly is not in the exhibitions below is just a magnificent piece of painting. At first the works look quite ‘lazy’, but when one does the standard squint all the detail and astuteness of this extraordinary painter’s work appear. Rowlett’s work proves to me there can be many ‘roads’ to exploring plein air painting while endeavouring not to stifle and destroy the explorative nature of being an artist, their uniqueness, vision, personal creative expression, all these things if impacted or tied-down adversely compromise artists improvement and growth - ingredients any art relies on. That the basic distinction from other art making is our love and pleasure of the ‘paint in front of the subject’ experience. Irrespective of methods, preliminary work, correction, time spent actually in front of the subject, etc, at the very least that is the strength we value the most of plein air - its integrity by virtue of utilising all the artist’s senses having accessed the subject in creating the work, as opposed to having absolutely no interface with the subject at all.

Hope you enjoy his work. ;)

 

Click the small ‘view the exhibition’ when in the following link that has 4 previous exhibitions as well:

http://www.artspacegallery.co.uk/MainImagePages/Artists/Paintings/Rowlett/09_Rowlett_cat_txt.html