Richard Meyer

Richard Meyer

To see examples of new and recent work click here.

'Pictures' is perhaps too vague a word for the personal and passionate responses to nature which are Richard Meyer's oil paintings - including pastels and drawings.

Nudes and figures (see Figureworks), landscapes, portraits and still lifes, rich in colour and textured impasto emerge from his studio in North Devon, near Exmoor, and coalesce into a body of work that some see as a fusion of Expressionism and Post-Impressionism but are in fact contemporary and quite different, especially in the way paint is applied.  Concepts of beauty, eroticism, glamour and the male eye all play a part.

An unusual training after his interest had been initially fired by his brother artist, John Martin, gained further meaning under Sir Peter Scott – the naturalist, founder of the World Wildlife Fund and consummate painter of wilderness. For many years Richard worked on breeding rare and endangered species, writing and illustrating books (mainly as Richard Mark Martin) and later gaining a PhD in Ecology from Glasgow University; he is also a qualified teacher.

The visual sense became the core of a life devoted to wild nature which of course includes the human beast (or 'Naked Ape' if you prefer!). Emotional responses to aesthetic beauty are influenced visually by elements that attract the human eye. Whether it is our own body, a landscape, pet, flower or garden, we must remember that we have always shaped the world to please ourselves.

Life studies and figure drawing from nude through states of semi-naked to clothed regard the sensuality of the female body.  Perceived 'sexiness' in visualised landscapes spawned the 'Figurescapes' series, which has provoked strong and contradictory views.

Above all, he sees painting entrenched in the real stuff of oil paint: rich and succulent with layers of meaning and interpretation individual to each viewer. A private collector said, "His paintings are vibrant and expressionistic, emerging from the margins of an eternal triangle: where Civilization meets Nature - meets Man - meets Woman... Nature and the human figure are major sources".

Richard Meyer exhibits with Celia Purcell Contemporary in London and in West Country galleries such as The Camelford Gallery in Cornwall, The Little Gallery on the Farm, Shebbear and the Salar Gallery, Hatherleigh, Devon. Work is in private collections in Britain, France, USA and Dubai.

Exhibitions

In London, Richard's paintings are at Celia Purcell Contemporary outside of formal exhibitions. See Celia's website or telephone 020 7624 1477 for viewings and directions etc. Go to SW5 Notebook and click on Profile for an article about Celia illustrated by Richard's paintings. Further paintings can be seen at Gallery Kaleidoscope, 64/66 Willesden Lane, London NW6, telephone 020 7328 5833.

Richard took part in the 2010 North Devon Festival's Open Studio event "Art Trek".

Although now officially ended, interested visitors are always welcome to call (by appointment).

Details are still available at www.northdevontheatres.org.uk/north-devon-festival-arttrek.asp?ID=271

Paintings may also be seen in or through local galleries; if not hanging at time of visit please enquire for viewing options etc: Outlines, Chumleigh, Camelford Gallery, Little Gallery, Shebbear and Salar Gallery, Hatherleigh.