Atkins, Ray
Inspired mainly by his local Cornish landscape, Ray Atkins paints directly from nature, developing his own highly personal artistic language. Every brushstroke, although apparently random, contributes to the overall colour harmony and structure of the composition, the resulting image capturing a precise moment of constantly changing light.
The pleasure of looking at 'Cornwall County Council Refuse Tip, Carharrack II' is heightened as the image, when viewed from a distance, unfolds from an impressive panorama to an exquisitely abstract mixture of colours in close-up. The artist explains: 'I see myself in a tradition of outsider artists, who have denied the accepted view of the development of modern paintings and have throughout the twentieth century worked from nature: Soutine, Kokoschka, Bomberg and others. Without their example my work would not have seemed possible.'
Monika McConnell
Cornwall County Council Refuse Tip, Carharrack II
1983