Steven Outram RBA
Artworks
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Outram strives to paint a mood, a reality, which is beyond what we normally see. Even in familiar places, the shapes and effects in nature can be moving and mysterious. By recreating that experience he tries to suggest a feeling of something about to unfold, hinting at a reality which lies beneath the surface.
Methodology
Outram cues into nuances – maybe a cloud’s shape or a luminous window – and absorb what he sees and feels. Sometimes I make quick notes, but often the experience is enough.
He works in oils and pastels. He is very critical of the quality of my materials, and constantly experiment. Using brushes, knives, rags or fingers, he aims for a naturalistic interpretation to carry the mood of the painting, allowing the subject to dictate the process.
Outram sees each painting as a challenge since he is always refining shapes and tones, testing my own idea of perfection - always trying to take it to the limit.
Bio
1953 Born in Dartford, Kent.
1973 Started exhibiting works before graduation from Medway College of Art in the same year.
1973 Became a self-supporting full-time painter, continuing to the present.
2003 Elected member, Royal Society of British Artists.