Paul Kenton | Metallique

FORE WORD In a mode akin to the mercurial properties of molten metal, the latest collection of original artworks by acclaimed contemporary artist Paul Kenton, Metallique, demonstrates a shift in both his style and medium of choice. Favouring the traditional support of canvas in his career to date, these latest pieces, painted onto sheet metal, are an exciting tangent to his already impressive portfolio.

Necessity proved to be the mother of invention for Kenton, as he discovered the possibilities that painting onto metal presented him with whilst making himself a prototype easel to use when painting outdoors. His requirements were simply something weatherproof, robust and light; hence his choice of aluminium as a primary material. When a canvas didn’t fit onto the easel he had built, he reached for some of the leftover sheet aluminium and began applying oil paint to that instead. Delighted with the new style of application, and the way that the oils took to the metal, he began to refine his brushstrokes and review the tools he was using, to discover how this new medium could adapt to his style of work. Whilst he may self-effacingly refer to this new direction as ‘good luck’ or a ‘chance encounter’, the opportunity itself may have been auspicious, but the experience to recognise the opportunity and the skill to maximise the new direction it offered, are testament to his proficiency as an accomplished artist.

Using sheet aluminium and now other metals as his base allows Kenton to illuminate his work as never before, to wield the ambient light in such a way that it becomes intrinsic to the finished piece. By allowing the metal to show through the layers of paint, the overall composition takes on a new dimension and gives a greater sense of depth and life within the scene. Viewed from different angles, the works reflect light sources in much the same way one might see sunlight bounce off the cosmopolitan subject matter he favours. Having found his preferred balance of brushes and flatedged tools in applying the oil paint, Kenton then realised the underlying metal also has its own contribution to make. By manipulating the bare metal, he experimented with buffing exposed sections to create a textured grain that has the same directionality as the lines of the buildings or other focal points in the piece. Similarly, the viewer will note upon close inspection of the work, that his application of the oils varies perceptibly, depending on the desired effect; from heavily layered, to gently washed or the dripped technique that has become synonymous with his work, each method brings a different perspective to the image.

The key to Kenton’s ongoing prominence within the UK art scene is his inexhaustible desire to elevate his output through continued experimentation. As such, Metallique represents the latest epoch in Kenton’s evolution, a stage at which he finds himself on the precipice of an artistic practice as exquisitely exciting as it is visually stunning.

CAT HEDR A L T W IS T Original Oil on Metal Framed 100cm x 200cm

CI T Y DEL IG H T

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 101.5cm x 18 3cm

LOND ON PRIDE

(R ig h t )

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 76cm x 76cm

SK Y L INE V ISION Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 46cm x 152.5cm

“My cityscapes reflect the many moods of manmade landscapes; I find it exhilarating to express furious movement, artificial lights and the vibrancy of a busy city centre at night as well as the subtler moods of a misty dawn at the same venue.”

PAUL K EN TON

HIG H RISE Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 61cm

CI T Y CEN T R A L Original Oil on Canvas Framed 20” x 20”

RISING SH A RD

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 76cm x 76cm

CI T Y IMPRES SIONS

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 61cm x 152.5cm

NE W BEG INNING S Original Oil, Gold, Resin, on Board Framed 91cm x 220cm

SH A RD RISING

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 122cm x 152.5cm

R O OF TOP S

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 61cm

URB A N OV ERLO OK Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 100cm x 200cm

SH A RD S TORM

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Metal Framed 76cm x 61cm

URB A N UPRISING II Original Oil on Metal Framed 152.5cm x 122cm

(R ig h t )

CI T Y SMOK ING Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 152.5cm

I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE MY PAINTING WILL TAKE ME NEXT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT MAYBE THE JOURNEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE FINAL DESTINATION.

“I don’t know exactly where my painting will take me next, but I do know that maybe the journey is more important than the final destination.”

PAUL K EN TON

URB A N WORK S Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 153cm

CAT HEDR A L L IG H T

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 101.5cm x 101.5cm

W H AT IS I T

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Metal Framed 153cm x 122cm

MEL LOW MORNING Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 76cm

( A b o v e)

C OLOUR W HEEL Original Oil on Metal Framed 76cm x 76cm

(R ig h t )

CI T Y R OYA L Original Oil on Metal Framed 100cm x 200cm

NE W HORIZONS Original Oil on Bras s Framed 100.5cm x 200.5cm

SK Y L INE F IRE Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 61cm x 152.5cm

“I love to capture the mood and spirit of a scene, adding layers of depth and expression which just can’t be captured in a straight pictorial study.”

PAUL K EN TON

C ONS T RUC T ION HEIG H T S

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 152.5cm x 100cm

SH A D OW S T RENGT H

(R ig h t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 122cm x 122cm

A BOV E A L L

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 122cm x 153cm

SERENE NIG H T S

(R ig h t )

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 122cm x 61cm

NIG H T FA L L Original Oil on Metal Framed 100cm x 200cm

NEL SON’S SQUA RE Original Oil on Metal Framed 76cm x 122cm

( A b o v e)

NEL SON’S V IE W

(R ig h t )

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 122cm x 61cm

“My work is heavily inspired by the differing times of the day and the effects these throw across the cities. I am fascinated by natural light and the way it interacts with the buildings.�

PAUL K EN TON

REF L EC T ING T HE PA S T Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 76cm

T RUE BLUE

(L e f t )

Original Oil on Metal Framed 122cm x 153cm

LOND ON C ONNEC T IONS

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Metal Framed 100cm x 200cm

“The feeling I get when exploring cities on foot, is unlike any other.

I’m on constant lookout for new angles and aim to immerse myself in the moment.”

PAUL K EN TON

M A NH AT TA N SPL END OUR Original Oil, Gold Leaf, on Board Framed 115cm x 87cm

M A NH AT TA N FA L L Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 100cm x 200cm

CHR YSL ER CA L L ING Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 122cm x 61cm

NE W L IF E, NE W YORK Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 122cm x 152.5cm

CI T Y CEN T R A L Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 153cm

R A DIO CI T Y

( A b o v e)

Original Oil on Metal Framed 100cm x 200cm

S T REE T S OF F IRE

(R ig h t )

Original Oil on Aluminium Framed 76cm x 76cm

MONO CHR OME Original Oil on Metal Framed 61cm x 153cm

BIOGR APH Y A pivotal moment in the young Paul Kenton’s life was a move from his birthplace in Derby to the West Country when he was eight years old. Paul showed an interest in painting from an early age; while others wanted to be doctors or pilots he clearly remembers telling a friend that he wanted to be an artist. This was cemented when, at the tender age of twelve, he won a national colouring competition - winning a prized set of paints.

He continued to draw and paint all through school, becoming proficient in watercolour, but was disappointed not to be awarded a place at art college due to his English grades. In 1995, supported by a grant from the Prince’s Youth Business Trust, he took the plunge and started to paint full-time and began exhibiting. Working in acrylic and oils he took inspiration from his worldwide travels; the cityscapes, cafes, harbours, bridges and seascapes.

Like the Impressionist paintings before him, Paul strives for his paintings to create a mood, evoke a feeling or reflect myriad emotions; with free shapes, mixed media, dripped lines and colour. Citing the early work of Monet as a great influence in his art, Paul focuses on the accurate depiction of light in his work, often painting similar scenes at different times of the day, from an early dawn to a balmy dusk.

Exploring moods and feelings is the backbone of Paul’s creations, very often painting places he has visited throughout his life; he tries to relive his feelings and memories of those cities, portraying them on canvas.

Paul’s technique is extremely free and unplanned, forgoing sketching and planning in favour of the immediacy of diving into the heart of the painting. Like the vast, sprawling metropolises depicted in his paintings, Paul’s style is constantly evolving yet its unique character − abuzz with a rich and satisfying tapestry of city life − is unmistakable.

When Paul is not painting he is surfing around the world and off the rugged north coast of Devon where he lives. It’s a passion that has given him his unique viewpoint of the world: “The ocean fascinates me and has many moods. I’m intrigued by the way the water and light interact at the end of the day. Perhaps it seems strange then that the man-made spaces of my city are the subjects of my paintings and yet there is a real communion between the sea and the city – with the recurring themes of reflection and light.”