It was suggested to me in my paint crit that I take a look at the work by John Piper. Piper was a British born artist whose work mostly consisted of paintings and print work but he was also a designer and writer. His most well known paintings are his ones of architectural views; consisting of churches and stately homes. Before the height of his career he was very much an abstract artist but over the years he gradually began to change and develop into naturalism. In the 1940's he was appointed as a war artist painting bomb damaged buildings across the most affected areas. After the war he gained more recognition for designing the new stain glass windows for Coventry Cathedral. Looking at his work I love his use of layers in his paintings, most influential to me is his application of textures which in turn add a sense of movement to what is a statutory subject matter. I also admire his subtle contrasts between the dark and light tones within his paintings, I feel that this helps Piper to create depth and intensity within the paintings atmosphere.
(Castle Howard: Temple and Mausoleum, oil on canvas & Laid on deal panel, 1944, 63.4 x 76.2 cm)
