derek balmer exhibition catalogue 2014

Front Cover: Snowfall in Babylon, 2014, 143 X 112 cm Oil on canvas

3

Derek Balmer

CATTO GALLERY100 Heath Street • Hampstead • London NW3 1DP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7435 6660 • www.cattogallery.co.uk • [email protected]

Opening times: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat • 12.30pm - 6pm Sunday • and by appointment

Solo ExhibitionSeptember 2014

DEREK BALMERThe studio life of the dedicated painter is akin to that of the religious contemplative. Bothspend hours in the pursuance of an objective that more often than not is beyond theirunderstanding. Both the religious contemplative and the painter are tough, single mindedand fully committed. They spend much time alone, far from the social exchanges that occupymost people’s lives. The studio and the cell are private places where only the invited enter.In his cell the religious contemplative seeks God; in his studio the painter is god.

The only company a painter has is an inner voice that constantly whispers in his ear. It is nota complicit voice; it does not seek friendship or approval. Instead it questions every mark,shape and colour that the painter chooses. The inner voice creates conflict. This is a goodthing. Out of conflict comes resolve.

Each new painting is a fresh start; an adventure; a journey into the unknown. A graphologistcan identify style but should allow for shock and surprise. Once a painter anticipates theoutcome of his work something dies. Repetition can lead to recognition and acclaim butalso says `brand' or `formula'. This is best avoided.

Knowledge of the history of art is valuable to the painter but more important is instinctand intuition and imagination.

Yin and Yang are interesting for a painter, suggesting excess degrees of the masculine orfeminine in their work. For example, I believe Picasso was essentially a masculine painter whilstBonnard was mainly feminine. I admire Picasso believing him to be a genius. But I preferBonnard. With Bonnard there is harmony.

A painting is never finished. You just have to learn to let go.

I prefer the shape of an oak leaf to that of an oak tree.

I am intrigued by `Spirit of Place'. I always like to see a signpost that points `To the South'.

My paintings are about memory; memory of woods and forests, of harvests and snowfall, ofancient places visited and chance encounters. Serendipity plays a part. As does that accidentalmark made by a wayward brush or palette knife that can turn a preconceived intention intoa new direction.

A painting was once a blank empty surface, Leonardo's `Last Supper' or Botticelli's `Birthof Venus' or Picasso's `Guernica.' were once all vacant spaces. I like to dwell on that.

Derek Balmer PPRWAJuly 2014

4

5

SEPTEMBER SONG, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

6

STREET MAP ( FEZ ), 201376 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

7

LE MARCHE, 201376 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

8

BIRCHWOOD SUMMER, 201292 X 71 cm Oil on Canvas

9

SNOWFALL, EASTER, 201392 X 71 cm Oil on Canvas

10

AUTUMN APPROACHES, 2013143 X 112 cm Oil on Canvas

12

WATER MEADOW, 201226 X 30 cm Oil on Canvas

SUMMER SNOWFALL, 201326 X 30 cm Oil on Canvas

13

HIGH SUMMER, 2012 26 X 30 cm Oil on Canvas

WALL FRAGMENT, TUSCANIA, 201341 X 51 cm Oil on Canvas

14

DESERT GARDEN, 201376 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

15

CHRISTMAS MORNING, 201376 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

16

BIRCHWOOD SUMMER (2), 201376 X 61 cm Oil on Canvas

1517

SUMMER'S LEASE, 201376 X 61 cm Oil on Canvas

18

FOREST RED, OCTOBER, 2013142 X 112 cm Oil on Canvas

20

OLD TETUAN, 201361 X 76 cm Oil on Canvas

21

STREET MAP, TETUAN, 201371 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

22

FLOWERS FOR EASTER, 201361 X 51 cm Oil on Canvas

23

LAVENDER VALLEY, 2009122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

24

BIRCHWOOD SNOWFALL, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

25

SNOW MAP, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

26

GUALDALQUIVER, 201192 X 122 cm Oil on Canvas

FLOWERS FOR CHRISTMAS, 201351 X 61 cm Oil on Canvas

2527

CATALAN SUMMER, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

28

AUTUMN, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

30

HILL TOWN, SPAIN, 2011-1241 X 51 cm Oil on Canvas

31

TETUAN, 201276 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

32

FRAGMENT, POMPEII, 201461 X 51 cm Oil on Canvas

33

WALL FRAGMENT POMPEII, 201392 X 71 cm Oil on Canvas

34

BEYOND CARMONA, 2012-1376 X 102 cm Oil on Canvas

DESERT ORCHID V, 201471 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

35

36

RED OCTOBER, 2013122 X 92 cm Oil on Canvas

1537

HARVEST EDGE, 2012-13102 X 76 cm Oil on Canvas

FIREWALL, 2013142 X 112 cm Oil on Canvas

38

Back Cover: Mykonos, 2012-2013, 92 X 122 cm Oil on canvas

DEREK BALMER CVPRINCIPAL EXHIBITIONS • COLLECTIONS • FURTHER RESOURCES

SOLO EXHIBITIONS1960 Fimbarrus Gallery, Bath

1968 Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol

1976 Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

1980 Royal West of England Academy (Sharples Gallery)

1992-94 Anthony Hepworth Fine Art, Bath

1993-97-2004 Gisela van Beers Gallery, London

1994-2001 Anthony Hepworth Fine Art, London

1995 Montpelier Sandelson, London

1996-98-2000 Smelik and Stokking Gallery, The Hague, Holland

2002 Smelik and Stokking Gallery, Amsterdam, Holland

2005 Six Chapel Row, Bath with Anthony Hepworth Fine Art

2005 Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden

2007 ‘Presidents Eye’ major retrospective, Royal West of England Academy


2010 Catto Gallery, London


2012 Catto Gallery, London

2014 Catto Gallery London

GROUP EXHIBITIONS1958 Fimbarrus Gallery, Bath Derek Balmer, Geoff Keeling, Brian Mace, NeilMurison and Ernest Pascoe

1958-63 Numerous exhibitions throughout the UK including Woodstock Gallery,London; Bear Lane Gallery, Oxford; Laing Gallery, Newcastle; The Victoria ArtGallery, Bath; The City Gallery, Bristol and the London Group

1963-64 Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol open national competition finalist

1965 Prix d’Natalie, Provence. Winner

1966 Arnolfini Gallery Bristol, with Geoff Keeling

GROUP EXHIBITIONS CONTINUED

1968-70 Artists of Fame and Promise, Leicester Galleries, London

1982 Arnolfini Open – 12 Artists

1986 Beaux Arts, Bath

1986-87 New Art Centre, London

1993 Courtauld Institute of Art, London; Louise Hallet Gallery, London

1995 Glyndebourne Gallery

2003 Royal West of England Academy, New Gallery

2004 Six Chapel Row, Bath

2004 ‘Western Approaches’ Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden

2005-10 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

2006 Cube Gallery, Bristol

2006 ‘Discerning Eye’ Mall Galleries, London. Invited Artist (Nicholas Usherwood)

2010 Browse and Darby, London, Critic’s choice (Andrew Lambirth, The Spectator)

2010 Browse and Darby, London, Summer Show

2014 Hilton Fine Art, Bath Campden Gallery, Chipping Campden Annually since1956 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONSDerek Balmer is represented in collections in the UK, Canada, USA, Holland,Germany, France and Switzerland.

FURTHER RESOURCESDictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945

University of the West of England http://info.uwe.ac.uk/news/uwenews/news.aspx?id=165

Royal West of England Academywww.rwa.org.uk/rwa-artists/academicianslistings/ b/blamer-derek/

Who's Who in ArtWho's Who

CATTO GALLERY100 Heath Street • Hampstead • London NW3 1DP

Tel: +44 (0)20 7435 6660 • www.cattogallery.co.uk • [email protected]

Opening times: 10am - 6pm Mon - Sat • 12.30pm - 6pm Sunday • and by appointment

EXHIBITION DATES: 11-30 September 2014

derek balmer exhibition catalogue 2014

Documents