Simon Spare

“The evidence of man’s presence in the landscape can at times be complementary to it, and it is at this meeting point, the human with the natural, where my interest lies – a ploughed field on chalky downland, a bridleway cutting across a hillside, the line of an ancient hedgerow. These lines, and particularly the maps I use to negotiate them, form the basis structure on which I work. Spending time each day walking in nature, I become sensitised to it – the smells, the sounds, the colours – my legs and lungs define the topography”.
“In recent paintings, it seems there are the moments of clarity and of obscurity that one might expect on a foggy day. As the clouds part, the structure behind is drawn into sharp focus, only to be covered once again by the thin veil. Similarly, with the passing of the seasons, leaves or snow cover the ground and change the landscape subtly. In this, there is a parallel with my own practice, of painting and re-painting blocks of colour, blanketing what has gone before, until the right combination of tones and shades is found”.