Patrick Galea - An Island in Colour

Patrick Galea

140 AN ISLAND IN COLOUR Paintings

An Island in Colour by Patrick Galea 2008-2022

Preface

Stephen Degiorgio

Patrick Galea’s artistic exposure passed through a series of phases which primarily evolved from the onset of his academic experience at the Jacob Kramer College, Leeds University. A graduate in interior design and applied commercial arts, Galea soon betook himself to painting, excelling in water-colour media.

By 2011, following a short hiatus, an overdue call to his palette and brushes inclined him to pursue the bold freedom of expression through the medium of acrylic. He never looked back. Within the span of a decade, in pursuit of self-innovation, an unorthodox sense of inspiration generated a corpus of works portraying bucolic, idyllic landscapes, sundrenched rugged coastlines, alternating artistic ‘chapters’ with quaint, archaic landmarks, or the off-hand fling into nature’s enticing realm of fruit and veggies.

The technique employed, executed with thick, sweeping brush-strokes, conveys a riot of vibrant colours, where tint and shades, defining volume and structure, overwhelm the same features which they seek to portray. Stylistically, it is within the sphere of such defining strength that Patrick Galea conveys a uniquely original approach, an intimately personal hallmark where colours explode into a dense mass of large and small planes, exceedingly appealing in form and definition.

2008-2011

Boats, Creeks and Harbours

"This solo exhibition reflects my experience of the daily and seasonal changes which are so particular to Maltese landscapes. All of my paintings involve a fusion of the subject and its surroundings, the more the subject contrasts with the surroundings, the more visible it becomes”

The Island in Colour starts with Patrick's exhibition back in 2011Boats, Creeks and Harbours. A total of 23 colourful works of art mainly featuring local scenes, were displayed at the Italian Cultural Institute in Valletta. The artist proposes a visit to his “art at a glance” which, like a photographic lens, produces light and chromatic effects, which reveal a very evident descriptive dichotomy of the reality and places him in between magical realism and abstract art. This exhibition paved the way to over a decade of consistant dedication to painting the colours of his immediete surroundings.

MGARR MARINA 2007

Acrylic on Canvas .

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MGARR, GHAWDEX

2007 Acrylic on Canvas

QOLLA S-SAFRA 2007 Acrylic on Canvas

IL-MAĊINA 2008 Acrylic on Canvas

BIRGU 2008 Acrylic on Canvas

DWEJRA GHAWDEX 2009 Acrylic on Canvas

RAMLA L-HAMRA 2009 Acrylic on Canvas

MANOEL ISLAND REGATTA 2009 Acrylic on Canvas

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SAN GILJAN 2009

SAN TUMAS 2010 Acrylic on Canvas

2012-2014

SPF60 and other paintings

On the evening of Patrick's 60th birthday in 2012, he exhibits a new collection of paintings at the Malta Chamber of Commerce in Valletta. Borrowing from his main muse; the Maltese landscape, he presented 20 brightly coloured sceneries. His jovial disposition is echoed in his study of the sun and its power in changing the colours and the mood of the landscapes throught the years to follow.

STREET,

QARRABA GNEJNA 2012 Acrylic on Canvas SANTA MARIJA PARISH, ATTARD 2012

TAHT L-ABJAD 2013 Acrylic on Canvas

PINK MARSALFORN 2013 Acrylic on Canvas

TAX-XAMA', ST PAUL'S BAY 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

HOW GREEN IS MY VALLEY, GHARGHUR 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

GOZO CHANNEL 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

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WIED IZ-ZURRIEQ 2014 Acrylic on Canvas

"This playfulness, just as much as the vibrancy of the colours of his paintings, defines Galea and his attitude to life as a man as well as an artist. He is a man of sunny disposition who wouldn’t be able to live without colour. This collection of paintings demonstrates this in no uncertain way.

The exhibition demonstrates the artist’s predilection for the landscape genre. The vibrancy of his palette, predominantly primary in colour, as well as the minimalisation of elements through reduction define the signature style of the artist. This is complemented further by his use of colour and light which is Galea’s trademark.

There is an innate search for architectural elements even in a landscape in which human intervention is slight. Galea’s landscapes are an escape from the clutches of contemporary Maltese reality and the incipient ugliness that is the result of the systematic and uncontrolled destruction of Malta’s urban fabric."

-Joseph Agius on Patrick's exhibition 2019 exhibition Landscapes.

and other paintings

ON THE ROCKS 2016 Acrylic on Canvas

BLACK & WHITE FILFLA 2017 Acrylic on Canvas

FAWWARA CHAPEL 2017

Acrylic on Canvas

GRAND HARBOUR 2017

Acrylic on Canvas

BAJTAR 2017 Acrylic on Canvas

FUNGUS ROCK 2017 Acrylic on Canvas

BOATYARD 2018 Acrylic on Canvas

KALKARA

CHADWICK LAKES (1) 2019 Acrylic on Canvas

GHAGHUR VALLEY 2019 Acrylic on Canvas

FREEPORT 2019 Acrylic on Canvas

SALT PANS (2) 2019 Acrylic on Canvas

LAMPUKI 2019 Acrylic on Canvas

In his most recent works, Patrick has introduced his a more fluid approach in paintings. The isolation endured during the pandemic reminded the artist of the simple joys in life. From fruit to flowers and other scenery the artist takes another journey exploring and depicting life's everyday treasures.

“Of course you can still paint landscape – it’s not been worn out” – David Hockney

FIGS 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

LEMONS 2020 Acrylic on Canvas SHADOWS 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

FOMM IR-RIH (1) 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

GOZO CITADEL 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

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MGARR IX-XINI 2020

MARSAMXETTO WITHOUT PHOENIX 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

VANESSA BEACH 2020 Acrylic on Canvas

BOATHOUSES 2009 Acrylic on Canvas

BAJTAR TAX-XEWK 2010 Acrylic on Canvas

RAMLA 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

Dwejra Ghawdex 2009

Marsa Dock 2009

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WILD CAPERS 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

GNEJNA

CLEAR WINTER SKIES 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

DWEJRA BOATHOUSES 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

DOWN THE SLOPE 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

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SAN PAWL TAT-TARGA 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

CLAY SLOPE, FORT CHAMBRAY 2021 Acrylic on Canvas RED DOOR, PALAZZO GATTO MURINA 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

LAGOON, COMINO 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

BLUE

SOUTH SEA, MALTA 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

HEPHAESTUS 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

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BEN GORG 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

GEBEL

QAWQLA, TAMARISK TREE 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

GHAR

A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS REST (1) 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS REST (2) 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

COMINO BLUES 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

GHAR QAWQLA, TAMARISK TREE 2021 Acrylic on Canvas SLOPES 2021 Acrylic on Canvas

HORIZON 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

MALTA EARLY SPRING 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

QOLLA L-BAJDA 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

L-BAJDA 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

QOLLA

OF LIGHT AND SAND 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

ROOFTOPS 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

MARSALFORN

FIELD PATTERNS AT DUSK 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

GOZO BLUES (2) 2022 Acrylic on Canvas INLAND SEA 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

GOZO GARIGUE SEA-SPRAY 2009 Acrylic on Canvas

SUMMER PARCHED FIELD PATTERNS 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

AERIAL SALT PANS (2) 2022 Acrylic on Canvas

About

Born in Mdina on the 9th of December, 1954. Patrick studied Design and Interior Architecture at Leeds Metropolitan University between 1973-1977 and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree (Hons.). He continued his post-graduate degree in Education at the University of Malta between 1978-1979.

CONTACT

+356 9949 2259 patrickpgalea@gmail.com www.eurekamalta.com

Patrick Galea

Multidisciplinary Designer, Artist & Curator

DESIGN & EXECUTION OF EXHIBITION DESIGN

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD STAND - TURIN/ITALY MALTA GOVERNMENT

MALTA INTER’L BOOK FAIR- EDUCATION DEPT STAND DITTO

MAR 1979

APR 1980 - 1981

SOLO EXHIBITION PERSONAL AUG 1975

SOLO EXHIBITION DUSSELDORF & VIENNA HILTON INTERNATIONAL AUG 1982

MALTAFEST FOOD FESTIVAL STANDS VIENNA / DUSSELDORF DITTO AUG 1982

MALTA INTER’L TRADE FAIR - INDUSTRY STAND MALTA GOVERNMENT

JUL 1989

CAREERS EXH- MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL POLICY STAND DITTO MAY 1990

CAREERS EXHIBITION - M.I.T.C. STAND M.I.T.C. MAY 1990

CAREERS EXHIBITION - MINISTRY OF EDUCATION STAND MALTA GOVERNMENT

MAY 1990 - 1995

WINGATE AVIATION – CYPRUS - AMITEX FAIR MALTA WINGATE AVIATION MAR 1996 - 1997

INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECTS – ST JAMES CAVALIER UNIVERSITY OF MALTA

MCAST PROJECTS EXHIBITION – ST JAMES CAVALIER MCAST

MCAST PROJECTS EXHIBITION – INDEPENDENCE FESTIVITIES PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA

VOCATIONAL TRAINING EXHIBIT – TRADE FAIR GROUNDS MCAST

CURATOR ART EXHIBITIONS ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURA

PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR LEARNING EXPO 2010 MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION

CURATOR ROTTA TAL-ARTI (INDEPENDENCE ACTIVITIES) PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA

SOLO EXHIBITION - (BOATS, CREEKS & HARBOURS)

JULY 2004

JULY 2002 - 2006

SEP 2005 - 2006

MAR 2006

MAR 2006 –2012

MAR 2010 - 2011

SEP 2008 – 2012

ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI CULTURA APR 2011

CO-ORDINATOR LEARNING EXPO MINISTRY FOR EDUCATION FEB 2009 – 2011

MCAST EXPO MCAST JUN 2014 - 2016

ONE-MAN PAINTING EXHIBITION –SPF60 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DEC 2014

CURATOR SOLO – PAUL SCERRI CERAMICS INIALA – VALLETTA NOV 2017

CURATOR KVF ART COLLECTIVE – TWENTY-TWO ARTISTS KARL VELLA FOUNDATION APRIL 2019

ONE-MAN PAINTING EXHIBITION – LANDSCAPES THE CENTRE – TIGNE POINT NOV 2020

CURATOR ART COLLECTIVE – SIGNATURE 18 OBELISK GALLERY – BALZAN

APRIL 2022

CURATOR ART COLLECTIVE – JUST HUMAN OBELISK GALLERY – BALZAN JUNE 2022

CURATOR – CONNECTIONS by ALFRED CAMILLERI MUZA – VALLETTA JUNE 2022

E..SCAPES COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION OBELISK GALLERY - BALZAN NOV 2022

PATRICK GALEA AN ISLAND IN COLOUR