We love local here at Mrs Harris’ Shop. And you don’t get much more local than this!
Richard Parton lives in Torrensville and shares his life with various types of artist’s materials, three cats, a wife and a wood oven.
He is a full time public servant and a part time artist, this means when he is not serving a member of the public he is likely to be drawing one. This exhibition is a result of this pursuit and includes works that cover the previous 7 years. This makes this collection in part retrospective and in part contemporary.
Richard was always a keen artist at school and went on to study art and design at college in England. After completing his studies he was however side-tracked by a career and other issues which meant he was unable to spend as much time drawing as he would have liked.
Despite this he always maintained a strong interest in art, in particular figure drawing so when the opportunity arose to get back behind the easel on a regular basis he gladly took it.
He has always been inspired by the attempt to capture the grace, strength and beauty of the human figure plus the sometimes whimsical nature of the relationship between model and artist. The intriguing nature of this challenge helps to explain his love of drawing and his use of different mediums as he tries to achieve his goal. It also explains why he has, by his own admission, never thrown a drawing away – to which a bulging old cupboard and a swelling suitcase under the bed can attest.
This is his first solo exhibition and he is thrilled to be able to exhibit in Mrs Harris’s shop.
About the exhibition . . .
Go Figure! is both a question and an answer. It asks: why draw the human figure? The answer: because it is most amazing subject there is. No two figures are the same, no two figures look the same under the same light and no one figure ever gives up the majesty of its contours without a demand for respect.
It is said that every picture tells a story; this is a story for the picture, and not the artist to tell. Richard invites you to pause in front of each piece and see if you can hear what it is the model is whispering in your ear and trying to confide to your soul.
Enjoy!
