ALL ABOUT ART


to the organic nature of his inspiration, without a formula for repetition, Gudgeon worries that at some stage he may have to fall back on more formulaic methods, which will “lack the vitality and excitement of subconscious inspiration”. We must hope he continues to appreciate the profound experience of life, which is crucial in eliciting the ethereal ideas that become his artwork. Sculpture by the Lakes provides the best


opportunity to see Gudgeon’s work, but it is present elsewhere. Although his work is very much of the country, Gudgeon has a sculpture, Isis, in Hyde Park, central London. Nestled close enough to the Serpentine lake to give the illusion of rurality, Isis was donated by the Halcyon Gallery in 2009. In Suff olk, Ben Hoskyns (benhoskyns.com)


divides his time between commissions and exhibition work, and his wildlife paintings have evolved over the past three decades from simply capturing the animal to emphasising the role played by the creature’s habitat. Hoskyns says that


Ben Hoskyns - Winter Partridges


if “the habitat is right, the wildlife will be there” and that habitat is key to his work now, “otherwise I might as well simply go to the zoo”. As a younger painter, Hoskyns worried that


Simon Gudgeon - Duel


his well of inspiration would run dry, but having matured, he is resigned to the fact that many of the images in his head will never make it to canvas. Perhaps this development comes from his regular dawn and dusk observations of the parading processions of wildlife on his doorstep, or from dog walks and travels further afi eld, with his subjects ranging from deer and dogs to puffi ns and partridges. When these excursions are less fruitful, Hoskyns rests assured in the knowledge that light is a constant aide in changing the way a landscape can appear, allowing him to continually develop as a painter. He occasionally feels a desire to return


to old ideas, ones that satisfi ed him at the time, but now he knows he could do them full justice. With myriad ideas in his head though, too much retrospection would hamper what he has spent 30 years building up to: “serious painting”. Redspot (redspotartists.com), a group formed by


Hoskyns and fellow artists, will be exhibiting in London later this year. Drawn from the Country will be at All Hallows-on-the-Wall, London Wall from 11th–13th of October. The exhibition is in support of XLP (xlp.org.uk), a charity that provides vital services for disadvantaged young people from London’s most deprived boroughs. Redspot’s members are acutely aware of how lucky they are to live in the countryside, and through this exhibition, hope to inspire some of the urban youth to enjoy what wildlife they have around them.


C


Ben Hoskyns - Old Split Pollard DATES FOR YOUR DIARY


Fine Modern and Vintage Sporting Guns 28th August 2017 Gleneagles Hotel, Gavin Gardiner gavingardiner.com


The Autumn Country House Sale 12th September 2017 Stansted, Essex sworder.co.uk


The Sporting Sale 25th October 2017 Edinburgh, Bonhams bonhams.com


Beautiful sculptures for the home and garden


www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk www.simongudgeon.com


sbtl@me.com +44 (0)7720 637808 Pallington Lakes, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8QU THE COUNTRYSIDE EXPERIENCE 49


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