© Gaius Bell

Mostly Fish: Gaius Bell at Gill Gallery

Give a man a fish, the saying goes, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you get rid of him for a whole weekend. Teach a man to paint fish, and you get a vibrant, colourful show! HOT reporter Cathy Simpson attended the private view at Gill Gallery.

I was strongly reminded of Oriental art when I first saw these paintings; partly because of the subject matter, and partly because of the clean lines, exquisite sense of design and the elegance of simplicity. Bell’s art training took place outside the conventions of art college, concentrating purely on painting technique, and his aim is to convey his love of the natural aquatic environment and the fish that inhabit it.

Gaius Bell is refreshingly down-to-earth when discussing his work; the title of the show is there to let us know that, yes, the paintings are of fish – apart from a monumentally beautiful rendition of snowdrops.  He is a keen fisherman and very knowledgeable about his subject matter, but his first interest is in the starting point for the image. He is trying to give the viewer a sense of being part of the aquatic environment, be it the natural one or his own imaginative reinterpretation of it. I wondered if he was referencing traditional natural history illustration, but he stated that while he admires the work, that is not the path he is treading.

He is clear that although the anatomical details are correct, he is not trying to imitate a photograph as he reinterprets the patterns produced by nature and makes them his own; the fish are exquisitely stylised.

Gaius Bell: Spawning Sockeye Salmon

One of the most striking aspects of these paintings, though, is the spectacular and dramatic use of colour. Brilliant turquoise will be made all the more dramatic by its juxtaposition with bright orange; reds and greens will shimmer alongside each other.  He modestly describes much of this as a ‘happy accident’ – but what a symphony he has produced!

The exhibition is small in terms of number of works, but the large-scale dramatic pieces provide a wonderful backdrop to the delightful, enticing wares for sale in Gill Gallery.  I strongly recommend a visit!

Mostly Fish can be seen at Gill Gallery, 55 Kings Road, St. Leonards On Sea, TN37 6DY until June 29 2013.

Tel: 01424 446882

Also in: Visual Arts