Richard Bavin
(55 years old. Born in United States. Lives in: Wellington near Hereford)
University of Gloucestershire
A painter with a passion for trees, I have been working for two years in one part of Wellington Wood near my Herefordshire home. Sitting quietly for many hours, I record observations in drawings, watercolours, colour swatches and reference photographs. These investigations act as a springboard for studio work using oils on gesso panels. My desire is to evoke the beauty and essence of the woodland, and to engage with the experience of being there. The works also express my delight in paint, and the myriad ways in which a small, flat surface can be transformed into a magical world.
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Work of art I would like to make
In 25 years time I hope our world will be filled with the growing presence of trees and forests. My proposed subject is the mature trees around Castle Green, near my new studio in an artists’ co-operative in Hereford. As with Wellington Wood, I would start with observational work, going on to develop a large oil painting (approximately 120 X 80cm) intended for public display.
The experience of working in an urban setting, rather than a remote woodland, frightens me, but presents a wonderful opportunity to share my passions and learn from others. I would invite people to contribute ideas as text or images by providing paper and coloured pens, with two open questions:
What do trees mean to you?
How do you imagine this place in 25 years time?
I want to somehow interweave these responses into my painting.
I will seek to display the project output in public locations around Hereford. The £1,000 award would be used for materials, transport (bus), presentation costs and a 10% donation to the Woodland Trust for urban woodland projects.
Climate change highlights our interconnectedness with trees. Forests are one of the most diverse and important habitats worldwide, vital to our existence and to many other species. Trees offer riches beyond words in their beauty, majesty and ever-changing form, and help us make sense of life through myth and metaphor.
My deep desire is to encourage people to open their eyes to our trees and take action to nurture them.
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My Artworks (6)
Click on the images to enlarge
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