NAME Nathan Apperley

Nathan moved from my home county of Cornwall to Bristol in March 2006. He studied Fine Art at Falmouth College of Arts, and graduated in 2004.
In Cornwall his work focused on the everyday real; things and situations he saw around him on a daily basis. Cornwall’s landscape is undeniably beautiful, but the pastoral image cultivated by artists and tourist brochures alike disguise a harsher mundane reality which he understood and believed very important in depicting.
His canvasses are saturated with signs of modern life, and now that he has found his feet in the city,Nathan is beginning to document his new surroundings. Tower blocks, bingo halls, seedy guest houses. He is intrigued by them all. His paintings are all uncompromisingly honest, and reflect the everyday real of the city.
He thinks composition plays a huge role in the outcome of his paintings. The places he paints, we tend to pass by in our day to day lives un-noticed, but when they become the center piece of a painting they take on a whole new life, and make us look at them differently.
Some of his paintings are a little voyeuristic, for instance the Alpha Guest House with it’s rooms lit up behind curtains, with only glimpses of life just out of view. He really likes playing with light and using it to create atmosphere and mood.
He takes inspiration from a number of artists. He really likes Edward Hopper and his use of glowing colour and how he uses composition. Other artists include Jock McFadyen, and his bleak visions of east London. Nathen is also influenced by George Shaw’s depictions of his suburban hometown, painted using humbrol enamel, and more recently Nathan has become aware of a painter called Christopher Campbell whose work really inspires Nathan. All these artists paint the world around them. Their works are direct, uncompromising and real.

Exhibitions

Education BA Fine Art (hons) Falmouth University, 2004

Solo
Tattoo design paintings, Grain Barge, Bristol, 2009,
Publicis head offices, London, 2005,
The View From Here, Nancy Victor Gallery, 2005.

Group
Inside Outside, Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol, 2008,
Bofu-Bofu, Surface Gallery, Nottingham, 2005,
On The Wall, Olympia, London, 2004,
Articulate, Newlyn Art Gallery, 2004.