James Bartholomew’s aim in his work is to convey to the viewer the mood of the scene, portraying the weather, the light, the movement and energy that he sees. Looking at his wonderful dynamic seascapes, you can see that he has achieved his aim in spades.
The things I paint are basically the things I love. From breaking waves on the Cornish coast at first light, to vibrant, crumbling Venetian facades. From a storm arriving into a sharply lit Lakeland valley, to a drooling 1000kg Hereford bull!
I have a love for the outdoors, for animals and for nature in general. I am fascinated by the interplay between a subject and light and how changing weather can alter the essence of something so completely. Strong light, and the resulting colours and shadows, are often the inspiration and form the starting point for a picture
While my paintings cover several subjects, the approach is fairly consistent. The way I paint is quite energetic, with gestural, spontaneous marks and sweeping strokes. Since many of the subjects I choose are ‘moving’ (sea, skies, animals), the marks hopefully convey some of this motion and energy and give the paintings their liveliness.
I work on a comparatively large scale (typically 70cm x 50cm or bigger) which allows for a loose approach. Much smaller and I find the process becomes a bit fiddly! I mostly work in pastel & watercolour together, the mediums soon becoming mixed up. The pastel will sometimes get wet and moved around within the paint, becoming simply a pigment. Other times it is used over the top of the dry paint. Through this method, the vibrancy can be reintroduced with the pastels and the painting can be changed at any stage. This leaves plenty of room to experiment on the surface without worrying about spoiling the painting, which I find quite liberating.
I also enjoy painting in acrylic. I find the vibrancy and depth of the pigments particularly good for my marine subjects and the intense hues sometimes found when sun combines with sea water.
I try to create paintings that are as uplifting and inspiring as the subjects are to me and to convey the energy and vibrancy that draw me to them.
I spend as much time as possible outdoors and when I’m not painting, I enjoy running, cycling and canoeing, with my little Springer Spaniel, Jess, who comes with me pretty much everywhere.
