A contemporary British Artist, George Shaw paints bleak views of the UK…
George is a realist painter who’s not afraid to paint the real UK, rather than the tourist advert – he said that he gets perturbed by people who have meaningful epiphanies in expensive places – who go to India, Goa, New Zealand, watch a glorious sunset to find themselves.
If you can’t find yourself in your own back yard, you’re not going to find yourself in the Serengeti, are you?
What was it that grabbed me?
The honesty.
Unless you live in the Cotswolds, or a picturesque costal village you’ll recognise modern Britain in George’s work. It’s unfiltered and honest and beautifully done.
The Great Lover painting has a great title and a lot of humour. You can exalt your Banksys, but most graffiti is more brutal and base – not every garage door gets adorned with a piece that elevates the narrative. Most get a “Great Lover”.
Also note the lack of people in his work. This adds to the isolation vibe his work creates.
How does this approach inform my style?
His work is technically top-notch. His palette is contained and tight, and it adds to the atmosphere of his work. What’s amazing is that he uses model enamel paint, which gives his work an almost photographic appearance.
About George Shaw
George was born in Coventry in 1966. He studied Fine Art at Sheffield Polytechnic from 1986 to 1989, and graduated from the MA Painting course at the Royal College of Art, London, in 1998. He lives and works in Ilfracombe, Devon.
