Artwork for Jean-Louis Farmer
A Shady Pool, Schiphol; oil on aluminium
Autum Morning, After the Rain; oil and charcoal on paper
Pipe Lay Vessel: Changing Out Rollers on the Stinger; oil on aluminium
ROV Hangar: Merlin 1 On Deck; oil on aluminium
Walking the Dog; charcoal on paper
Descending the Gribin; watercolour on paper
Details
Drawing inspiration directly from the world around me, my work covers a range of genres from landscape, through portraiture and interiors, to 'portraits of life', both in the everyday world and onboard the ships at sea where I have spent much of my working life. It may be characterised by contrasts: the graceful majesty of trees and mountains versus the hard-edged world of steel and water, of giant, floating megastructures dwarfing frail humanity; and by common themes: a fascination with the monumental, and the transient, and a continual, near-obsessive quest that is perhaps the theme most central to all my work, to capture light, in all its fleeting, wondrous effects.
Perhaps unfashionably, I believe that craftsmanship and skill, particularly in drawing, are key to figurative painting. It is drawing that underpins my work and I try to draw every day - mostly from life - for reference material, to develop ideas, and also simply for practise, as a pianist would play scales. I do not confine myself to a traditional sketchbook however: for me, the iPad has become another invaluable tool that I use extensively to produce both studies and finished work, and I also frequently use photography. I believe artists come in myriad forms, be they painters, potters, film makers, ballerinas or musicians - but that they all share common attributes: skill, passion, and the ability to bring something unique and deeply personal to their work.
Jean-Louis Vincent Farmer Art
I currently practice my art from home between periods of working offshore. I work in a variety of media, principally oil on canvas, aluminium or wood, charcoal, and watercolour. As well as landscapes, interiors and the world of the offshore energy industries, I have recently revisited work inspired by the cave paintings of the Upper Palaeolithic period, and am now exploring how certain treatments seen in those works may be applied to the modern-day world.
Foundation course in Art & Design at City of Bath College 1998
Studied Illustration & Graphic Design at University of Plymouth School of Art and Design, Exeter, before switching to Fine Art (Time-Based Media); graduated 2002 with BA Hons
5-day workshop in oil painting techniques of 16th and 17th centuries with David Cranswick
Royal Society of Marine Artists' Annual Exhibition at The Mall Galleries, London
The Untitled Art Fair at Chelsea Old Town Hall
Open Studios at Rye Creative Centre, East Sussex
Not currently exhibiting at a gallery. Having recently moved to Herefordshire, I am looking for outlets to showcase my work and would welcome the opportunity to talk to any gallery owners.
