simon stooks
gaff rigs and gulls

27th June - 21st July 2014

selected works

(click on a thumbnail to view larger image)


Gig Between Two Gulls
oil on panel 41 x 61cm £950

How can one capture the soul of Cornwall? Does one have to be born there or to live there? What is Cornwall besides a county and a beautiful landscape with a breathtaking coastline?

The Celtic people and language have a distinctive power in Cornwall’s ancient history in establishing its identity. This has never been more evident than recently with Cornwall gaining minority status in the UK.

Is a modern artist capable of capturing this spirit?

This new collection of paintings by Simon Stooks, features boats with wind in their sails, seagulls, the light of the sun on the sea, the shores, the sky and it all brings us right into the heart of Cornwall.

It evokes the spirit of freedom - of seeing through “Jonathan Livingston’s eyes of the seagull” it’s all captured in expressive colour and in one breath of beauty and truthfulness.

Elizabeth Garde, Danish Author 

“This new collection of paintings depict cornish harbours and seascapes, working boats, leisure boats and the flurry of activity that can be found on Cornish waters. Seagulls are often an integral part of those scenes and I have always found them to be beautiful creatures. I have two trusty companions and models which I bought whilst a student at Falmouth School of Art. These two stuffed birds have travelled all over Cornwall and over to the South of France with me. These very gulls were flying in the Cornish skies that Alfred Wallis was painting as they were stuffed in 1895 (Alfred Wallis was born in 1855). It has always seemed fitting to me that these birds which I often use as models for my paintings, were from that era, as Wallis has always been a particular influence on my own work.

"I hope that this new collection of paintings portray the joy and exuberance that I find in the harbours and landscape of West Cornwall.”

Simon Stooks, June 2014

Dorset born Simon Stooks trained at Shelley Park School in Bournemouth (1989 - 1991) and graduated from Falmouth School of Art in 1994 with a BA Honours in Fine Art.

He has work in many private collections both at home and abroad, as well as work in public collections including Falmouth School of Art, Lloyds of London, Chancery Lane and Canford Magna School. Recent exhibitions include a solo exhibition in Paris and this, his 8th exhibition at Cornwall Contemporary.
 

back to thumbnails