Solway
David Lucas
17 October – 14 November
David Lucas is a contemporary visual artist, who draws inspiration from skies, land, sea, horizons, space, light and shadow. His visual language involves expressive mark making and painterly abstraction, using intense colour, line and shape.
Born in Yorkshire, and based in Sheffield and North Cumbria, since the 1980's Lucas has garnered international acclaim for his expressive painterly abstractions, supported by prestigious honors like a major grant from the Pollock Krasner Foundation, and others, including a number from ACE. Inspired by astrophysics, philosophy and the natural world, Lucas explores the intersection of external landscapes, from pennine moors to dramatic coastlines, and internal perception. His process using oils on canvas balances structural control with accidental potential, capturing the tension between intention and chance. Through intense colour, contour and shape, Lucas attempts to unravel the experience of the moment. By distilling the subtle tones and character of the northern landscape he creates a powerful visual language of both light and shadow.
The latest body of painting has seen the artist return to his roots and early inspiration, the landscape of north Cumbria with the Solway plain looking across the Solway firth to the lowland fells of south west Scotland on one side, and the northern fells of the Lake District on the other. A deep rooted relationship with this landscape, its unique character and quality of light, western skies and striking sunsets being instrumental in forming his artistic outlook. Emerging out of the ‘Shaft of Light’ series the ‘Solway’ series has sought to reconnect with a landscape somewhat overshadowed by the Lake District National Park.