Lovers in conversation by Gary Dorking. Oil on canvas 40" x 30"

East Sussex inspires reclusive artist to reveal all

A recent move to the area has prompted Gary Dorking to produce and show work for the first time in years writes Sharon Hogwallow-Gately. 

From Thursday 24 May to Tuesday 5 June, Hastings Arts Forum in St Leonards will be hosting an exhibition of some rather unusual work – paintings by multimedia artist Gary Dorking.

“I’ve always worked very much outside the art world. Despite being obsessively creative, selling many paintings privately, teaching and carrying out a lot of commissions, I’ve been reluctant to exhibit what I call ‘my art’– the art that’s most valuable to me. I guess I didn’t expect people to get it.

“I moved here in Nov 2009, wanting to set up a studio but the whole moving process left me uninspired. I had to find the magic again – remember what it was that made me want to create and I found it. This was in no small part due to my surroundings. I love it here and have met some great people. This is one of the most creative parts of the UK”

“‘My art’ is stronger now. I’ve always asked myself, ‘what are we? What can we be and how can we communicate that?’ Now I’m full of ideas. I cannot stop painting and I’m producing my best work. ”

Gary’s work has an essentially surreal overtone. The forms are often dignified, beautiful and yet strange, often distorted, “as though the physical world evolved to express, rather than being formed by the laws of physics.”

“I often prefer people to have their own ideas when they see the work. I build in ‘triggers’ to provoke thought, so viewers can take their own journeys; although sometimes the work does have specific meaning. I often build a monumental aspect in to give the journey some thrust!

Having just completed the website in time for the exhibition I am surprised at the range of people who seem moved by the images.”

Gary Dorking is a videographer, photographer, a writer of fiction and a musician. All these things inform the work, helping to engage the viewer and also to express the romantic, poetic and often humorous sides of the artist, for whom painting is his first love.

“I’m keeping two of the biggest new paintings under wraps until the exhibition!”

You can view more of Gary’s work and contact him via his website.

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