‘Paintings of The River Thames’ by John Whittaker opens in the gallery Room 5 at West Berks Museum. on Wednesday
The Tilehurst painter’s interest in art began gradually, starting while at school.
“To begin with and for many years I would just go out occasionally armed with a sketchbook, working in pencil and with pastels. Apart from once attending an evening art class at Reading Technical College, I am more or less self-taught,” he says.
A few years before retiring from teaching he took up oil painting, and started tentatively to begin with.
“I first chose as subjects the trees and the woods within a short walk of where I live in Tilehurst, Reading. I then began to explore views of the countryside further afield – including the River Thames – for subject matter.”
As he became more involved in painting, his small old garden shed at the side of his house became his ‘studio’. Eventually it had to be replaced with a bigger shed in order to accommodate hisincreasing number of canvases and all his art materials.
“I am influenced by the work of the ‘impressionist’ artists – and especially the work of Claude Monet. He would sometimes select a scene or ‘motif’ and explore it under different conditions of weather or time of day. I became taken with the view of the Thames looking towards the Goring Gap from just outside Pangbourne. This led to my series of River Thames paintings here on display.
“Other paintings are of river scenes heading further up the river towards Wallingford. I do not paint on the spot, but mostly I use and work from photos.
I also admire the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and local landscape artist, Nick Schlee – and in some of my work you can probably detect the influence of these two great artists.
“I first exhibitted at the West Berks. Museum a year ago and I count myself very lucky to be invited back to have a second exhibition so soon. The staff are very helpful and supportive and they even lend a hand when setting up – a process which takes many hours.
“Although not a very large gallery, it has excellent lighting and is ideal for showing my paintings – which look best in good, strong light.
“My aim with my paintings is quite simple – to try and create something that is both beautiful and captivating to look at in some way. Paintings that others might hopefully enjoy looking at. A ‘series’ of paintings of the same subject has perhaps an added attraction and it is good to be able to show them together for the first time.”
John Whittaker website: whittakerartist.uk
The exhibition runs to February 1.
Free entry.
