Brian Wildsmith Exhibition IV

 

My last few images of the phenomenal exhibition celebrating the genius of Brian Wildsmith.  Again often I have taken them to record his workings, the corrections and annotations. 

'Paws, Claws, Tales & Roars: The Art of Brian Wildsmith', is at the Cooper Gallery, Barnsley until January the 4th 2025, so please take an opportunity to visit, it is also just 30 mins from the wonderful Yorkshire Sculpture Park and is a gem of an exhibition about a marvellous artist whose work is full of exuberant joy, colour, observation and wonder.

Brian Wildsmith Exhibition III

 

Here are some drawings and paintings of Castellaras, Brian Wildsmith’s village and home from 1972 to 2016  A place he fell in love with at first sight.

“I dreamt of colour,” he said, growing up in Barnsley in Yorkshire in the post war years - “Everything was grey.” 

Brian Wildsmith Exhibition II

 

Hansel and Gretel  by Brian Wildsmith (1960). This large piece by Brian is a joy to see in real life, for it combines his bold almost pop art collage, and you can see the texture, with his exquisite linear drawings. This piece of work just draws you back again and again because it encompasses different styles in a work of impressive scale and just pure joy!

“Every artist who's ever lived wants to be appreciated. It's just part of being an artist, whether you're a singer, a musician, a painter or an illustrator. We want to be appreciated – that's why we do it. Our art is our expression, but it's really for other people.” Brian Wildsmith

Brian Wildsmith Exhibition I

At last I managed to get down to Barnsley to see the Brian Wildsmith (1930 – 2016) 'Paw's Claw's Tales and Roars The Art of Brian Wildsmith' at the beautiful Cooper Gallery and Barnsley town Hall, a pilgrimage to an artist's work I so admire. This exhibition runs until 4th January 2025 and I highly recommend a trip to visit it.

Many of Brian Wildsmith's fantastic kaleidoscopic illustrations have featured here over the years, so I have chosen initially to share his enigmatic, wonderfully observed ink drawings for my first post on this exhibition, for their wonderful fluid lines, exquisite draughtsmanship and for their delicious visible corrections.