Matthew Draper PS | The Pastel Society

A view from St Paul's 16.12.14
Evening Mist from the Monument
Evening Mist, Nocturnal Study of Tower Bridge
Mid Morning Sun

About Matthew Draper PS

Artist details wrap

Biography

Artist's Statement

Matthew identifies himself principally as a draughtsman; drawing being the most unencumbered and immediate form of image-making. His work is made with an intense and energetic immediacy, working instinctively rather than methodically, keeping him physically and emotionally involved in the process. He crushes soft pastel in his hands rubbing the dust into the paper in wide sweeps of colour gradually manipulating the material to build up a thick layered surface using the ball of his thumb or the heal of his hand.

He is interested in and influenced by the dramatic imagery of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century painting. He admires the idea of the contemplation of landscape in the Romantic spirit, found in the work of the German Romantics like Casper David Frederick and the notion of the grandeur of the landscape as expressed in the work of the American Subliminal Painters like Sanford Robinson Gifford and Frederic Edwin Church. These artists adopted the term ‘Luminism’, defined as light in the landscape and the effect that light has on the landscape and objects within it.

As a contemporary artist choosing to adopt this approach to light in the landscape, Matthew's interest is not to make straight forward topographical images that are illustrations of place. Instead he is attempting to make imagery that is descriptive of the circumstances under which the subject is viewed; images which convey a sense of place. The drawings are emotional reactions to events and experiences evolving in front of him; events happening or about to happen. The images become like fading memories or captured moments in time. The making of the work is in itself as set of actions and events which creates a harmony between his process and his interpretation of the subject.

Biographical Details

1973
Born Stone Staffordshire.

1991-1992
Walsall College of Art.

1992-1995
Falmouth College of Arts BA(hons) Fine Art.

Society Memberships

The Pastel Society

Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

2010
City of Glasgow Prize, Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.

2010
Buzzacot Award, Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London.

2010
Annie longley memorial Award, Pastel society, Mall galleries, London.

2010
Conell and Connell prize, Scottish Society of artists, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.

2009
Scottish Gallery Award, Visual Arts Scotland, City Arts Centre Edinburgh.

2008
Shell Premier Award, Aberdeen Ar

2007
Chairman’s Purchase prize, Discerning Eye Exhibition, London.

2007
Anthony J Lester art Critic Award,Pastel `Society, Mall Galleries, London.

2006
John Murray Thomson Award, Royal Scottish Academy.

2006
Cross Gate Gallery Award, kentucky U.S.A
Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London.

2004
Contemporary Fine Art gallery Award, Paisley Art Institute.

2004
Most popular work in the exhibition, Hunting Art prizes.

2002
City of Glasgow Prize, Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts.

2001
Commendation Aberdeen Artists.

2000
Alexander Graham Munro Travel Award, Royal scottish Society of Painters in Watercolour.

Collections:
Bank of Scotland.
City of Edinburgh, City A
Glasgow Museum and Art Gallery, Kelvin Grove Glasgow.
Paintings in Hospitals Scotland.
Premier Property Group, Edinburgh.
Morton Frazer Solicitors, Edinburgh.
Various Private Collections; Australia, New Zealand, Canada Europe and the USA.
Commissioned by The Morton Street Gallery, London for the Calledonia Hotel, Edinburgh.

Exhibitions

The Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2018

The Pastel Society Annual Exhibition 2017

Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2016

NOW @ The Pastel Society

The Painted Parish

Look Again @ The Pastel Society

Other exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions
2011
‘New Pastels’, Beaux Arts, Bath.

2010
‘Festival Exhibition’, Open Eye Gallery. Edinburgh.

2009
‘Nocturnes’ Beaux Arts, Bath.
‘In Series’, Lemon Street Gallery, Truro.

2008
‘Luminism’, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

2007
‘January Light’, Lemon Street Gallery, Turo, Cornwall.

2006
‘Time and Place’, Beaux Arts, Bath.
‘Seven Hills’ The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

2005
‘Nostalgia’, lemon Street Gallery, Truro, Cornwall.

2004
‘Panorama’
‘Old Town’, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

2002
‘Atmosphere and Twilight’, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.
2000
‘Night Life’, The Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

1999
The Reynolds Gallery, Edinburgh.

Selected Group Exhibitions
2009
Visual Arts scotland, City Art Centre, Edinburgh

2007
Discerning eye exhibition, mall galleries , London.
Salon 2007, ‘New British Paintings and Works on Paper’ Portobello Road, London.

2006
The Jerwood Drawing Prize, Jerwood Space, London and touring the U.K.

2006
‘Best of British’, Chealsea art Gallery, Palo Alto, California.

2005
‘Scottish painting’, Chelsea art Gallery, Palo Alto, California, in association with John Martin of London.

2002,2003,
Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London.

2005,2007, 2008+ 2010
2004
‘From Castle to Palace’ City Art Center, Edinburgh.

2003,2006+2008
Royal scottish Academy Anuual Exhibition, Edinburgh.

The European drawing Collection Hull, Karl Hofer Geselleschaft, The Western Banhof Charlottenburgh, Berlin.

1995
‘Once Upon a Time in The West’, Falmouth College of Arts graduate Group exhibition, The Slaughterhouse Gallery, Smithfield, London.

Art Fairs
2008/2009/2010
20/21 modern british Art fair, Beaux Arts, Bath
Art London, Beaux Arts, Bath.
Art London, islington London, Beaux Arts, Bath.

2000-2008
Art London, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.

2006
Art Miami, Miami USA, Lemon street Gallery.