ART REFERENCE - Into Painting: Brendan Stuart Burns by David Alson

A small, isolated beach in Pembrokeshire is the almost exclusive subject of the paintings of Brendan Burns. His aim is to record, explore and interpret the constant change of shoreline, tide, horizon, climate and rock pools through a semi-abstract style which references artists from Monet to Pollock.

Author David Alston reflects on the richness of this apparently simple art and follows Burns' career so far, from London art college sculptures to the National Eisteddfod Gold Medal-winning shorescapes. Beautifully illustrated by the images discussed, Into Painting is a delightful object in itself.

Paint, layered perspex,and wax are among the materials utilised, transparency, rich colour, geometric patterning both the techniques used to create the flux, fragmenting and combining, half seen images, teetering on the edge of recognition and abstraction, entrapping the moment. The resulting paintings are as endlessly varied and intriguing as their subject and Burns' art is a significant and often enthralling contribution to the centuries-old rendering of nature. It makes him one of the most innovative and interesting of contemporary British artists.

96 pages, Paper Back
Language: English
Publisher: Seren
Publication date: 7 Dec. 2007
Dimensions: 190 x 248 x 7 mm