Steve Pritchard: Watercolours & Drawings
Organised by : Oxmarket Contemporary
Steve Pritchard has drawn and painted since his early teens. At that time, he was very fortunate to know Peter Norton of Compton who taught him to look, see and record. The almost mediative process allows him to express kindness, love and quiet contemplation in the landscape as he draws in pencil and paints in watercolour.
Steve always draws and paints in the open, without distractions. When he's ready, he works quickly and decisively. He does not linger over the moment. Steve enjoys the immediacy of the colour and translucency of watercolour; what appears through the pencil or the brush onto the paper is what is.
From time to time Steve adds mottoes or notes, which echo the idea, emotion or path much in the manner of Wang Wei, who wrote of himself,
"In a past life, I was mistakenly a poet
In former existence I must have been a painter".
For ten years Steve has worked, assisting those experiencing old age and often, dementia.
Amongst the day to day business of physical and emotional care, Steve creates time to bring the quiet contemplation in his paintings, to discover peace in the moment.
Steve has little formal schooling in the subject of painting and drawing, so he has practised instinctively over many years. Importantly, Steve learns from others, friends and colleagues alike.