Cheltenham Art

Artists

Author and Artist Andy Lloyd

Andy Lloyd's Portraits

 

As I have developed my painting style down the years I have found myself painting more and more of the same kind of picture. This is not unusual for artists in that they want their paintings to be recognisable.  But my direction is somewhat unusual in that I have leaned towards portraits, which is not particularly fashionable to be honest. But I find painting portraits to be a challenge, and I enjoy creating them.

These next paintings are typical of my exhibition works:  the far-away look at the window.  They give me a chance to work on the effects created by strong, horizontal light, which I find fascinating.:

Here follow some paintings from years past along the same lines, most of which are in the hands of local collectors:

Slow Art

"The camera, if it's lucky, may tell a different truth to drawing - but not a truer one.  Drawing brings us into a different, a deeper and more fully experienced relationship to the object. A good drawing says: 'Not so fast, buster.'

"We have had a gutful of fast art and fast food. What we need more of is slow art: art that holds time as a vase holds water.  Art that grows out of modes of perception and making whose skill and doggedness make you think and feel; art that isn't merely sensational, that doesn't get its message across in ten seconds, that isn't falsely iconic, that hooks onto something deep-running in our natures."

Robert Hughes writing in The Times, June 2004

This portrait of a small child is one of my favourite commissions.

Strong colours can work well with portraits, but I suspect I overdid it a bit with my Moulin Rouge...

These more subtle paintings were snapped up a couple of years ago, which indicates the way to go perhaps.

This is one of my more recent paintings of a woman stood on a balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower.  Perhaps not a particularly commercially-minded painting, but a good study with some nice colouring contrasts.

 

Nick Brown Butchers

Residents of Longlevens in Gloucester will surely recognise this set of portraits.  I think I got the likenesses pretty good, anyhow.

Local businessman Nick Brown asked me to create caricatures of his team at the butchers shop on Innsworth Lane.  These portraits are the result; less caricature, and more detailed sketches.  I initially drew them in pencil then painted them monochrome in acrylic.  Familiar faces to locals in Longlevens!

 

Written by Andy Lloyd,

author of 'The Dark Star' (2005), 'Ezekiel One' (2009), 'The Followers of Horus' (2010) and 'Darker Stars' (2019)

Published by Timeless Voyager Press