John Piper
1903-1992
Trained at Royal College of Art
He was an artist in demand. Also made stage design, ceramics, textiles etc...
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He focused on British & Welsh landscapes (Snowdonia). He took his family & stayed at a friend’s holiday cottage in Wales. He walked & painted everyday.
The paintings are not accurate representations-they are about the experience of being in the landscape
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He was appointed official war artist in WWII & he painted artworks that were stored in caves during the war by candle light.
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Inspiration
The geological landscape, guide books & maps (wanted to make his own guide book).
He was inspired by Joseph Mallord William Turner
He was inspired by the Impressionists. Like the impressionists he also made work outdoors, sometimes it was so cold his watercolours froze when he was painting in the terrible weather.
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Technic
He added texture with thick paint, he used actions such as scrubbing, scratching & applying many layers.
He made experimental marks using the brush like a drawing tool to create form & contours of rocks.
His studies show contemplation of rock formation, time, weather, geography & geology (the make-up of the land).
His paintings are often described as looking like bones, spines, limbs, teeth, the body and beasts in the landscape
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