James Eccleston - still life and portraiture artist
James has been diligently working away in his private studio in North Wales for several years. His family lived in a large old house and due to the art-collecting habits of his father, he was immersed in both 19th and 20th century art from early childhood.
His attic bedroom could only be reached by a thirty foot winding staircase, hung tightly with a wide variety of paintings, including, above all, a series of works by the renowned figure-painter R O Lenkiewicz.
The combination of many visits to the Lenkiewicz studio and subsequently a period of teaching over the last ten years, have been a pivotal influence for James. So whilst he still paints predominantly still life, the very recent death of Lenkiewicz triggered a move toward figures. The resultant series of intimate studies of his wife (on the website) provides a small insight into the private life of a painter.
James’s approach is to treat figures, landscapes and still life all as equal subjects, as he considers this to be the mark of the true painter. As a result he has not chased commercial success or the long list of regional exhibitions, hoping that viewers would find his work both interesting and desirable.
In Jame's words, “I am always trying to test my skills, to ‘paint better’ and record reality with sincerity. As I have progressed I have realised that an overall balanced composition is just as important as any technical flair.
I have long been impressed by those great painters of the past who could seduce our eyes with a simple, uncluttered painting of something quite mundane and familiar. Painting ‘good’ Still Life has always been one of the great tests of a painter’s ability, and I am progressing with each piece. Some of these paintings are studies and others are more elaborate, but each one exists in its own right. I hope they interest you!”
