Our 'Artist of the Week' this week is a very talented man who has shot to major success with his exceptionally realistic representations of wildlife, and his completely unique techniques have saw him transform overnight from a local artist selling his work through social media, to a firm Robertson Fine Art favourite with fans now across the globe! Also, of course, with our current climate and many of these beautiful animals in danger or facing extinction - there is a very crucial message within these works that Gordon himself is highly passionate about, and these inspirations will be something we will cover more along with the techniques he has mastered in order to preserve these stunning creatures and the experiences that have shaped him into the successful artist he is today - as well as some exciting news about Gordon, as he will be joining us in just over two weeks for a personal appearance at the annual art fair in Glasgow!
So let's begin with Gordon's technique and style, and how he manages to create these incredibly detailed and life-like works of art that so many have fallen head over heels for! It is a unique yet very complex process and one that has taken him many years to perfect, and it shows in each and every one of his paintings. He sets out to capture not only the animal itself but everything they embody too - their nature, their emotions and the drama that surrounds that one fleeting moment in their lives - and he does so perfectly. Whether it be a big cat who is charged and ready to pounce on an unsuspecting prey, or a small chimpanzee hiding in the grass from it's brothers and sisters, Gordon has adapted a fantastic way of not only painting and drawing these animals in a photo realistic manner, but expertly adding a certain energy into the eyes of the subject that really allow the viewers to believe in his depictions.
As mentioned above - the process that Gordon uses took a number of years to develop it into the standard it is at today, and was initially born out of a bit of experimentation on his part. Since 2007 Gordon has looked to consistantly push his materials and substrates, and whilst working on a small painting of his own Border Collie he came to a realisation which would shape the rest of his artistic career up until now. He found that the highlights were so much more realistic if he chose to remove the paint, rather than to add more - and so this is when he began to also test different materials like erasers and blades to form the most realistic textures he could. It was after this 'eureka moment' that Gordon discovered Ampersand boards - a board covered in thin layers of Kaolin clay - and began to work with ink and airbrushing techniques - and this is when the approach he uses today really came together. Gordon spends hours by his easel painstakingly etching each and every individual hair, crease or wrinkle that makes up this animals appearance, into his ampersand boards... and a bigger piece can take him months to complete, but the end result is more than worth it! In fact, most viewers really need an up close inspection and a full explanation of his techniques before they can even come to believe they aren't photographs!
It takes a particular type of artist who has a special adoration for the worlds wildlife, in order to truly portray it in it's most believable form - and Gordon is just that. He says:
"I’ve always had a passionate interest in wildlife conservation around the world and wanted to get involved in raising awareness of not only endangered species but also animal cruelty and mistreatment. This has led to me giving paintings or prints to animal charities and worthy causes to raise funds. It’s very rewarding to know that your work raises awareness for an animal that needs rescuing or is endangered. Quite a lot of my work is sold with a percentage of the sale going to an animal charity."
Robertson Fine Art are incredibly proud to represent Gordon Corrins solely in the UK and we have been able to witness first hand the great amount of success and positive reaction he has received since coming on with us just two years ago. He has sold a staggering number of original works and limited edition prints worldwide and in December had his first ever solo show with us in our Edinburgh gallery - which saw 75% of the pieces sell on the day - a fantastic result for a little known artist at the time! We are incredibly excited that Gordon will be launching his first new collection of originals with us on our stand at the Glasgow Art Fair this year, held at the Kelvingrove Museum. This will run from the 17th to the 19th of May and Gordon will be there in person on the Friday evening of the event to speak with all the guests about his new collection, so it would be great if you could join us there - and discover for yourself just why exactly he is our 'Artist Of The Week'
RELIVE GORDON CORRINS 2017 SOLO EXHIBITION WITH US BELOW
Please email us at edinburgh@robertsonfineart.com for any additional information about the work of Gordon Corrins or to find out how to attend the Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair this year and meet Gordon in person!