London: Our Great Metropolis

Terence Gilbert

Born and bred in London, Terence has always maintained strong ties to the city that he grew up in. The skyline of London, its buildings and monuments are amongst Terence's favourite subject matter. He draws attention to the architectural and structural beauty to be found within the city, often illuminating buildings dramatically against a vivid sky.

His skill at blending colour, coupled with his acute observation of changes in light and tone lend his paintings a great sense of spontaneity and immediacy. Rich in detail and highly atmospheric his paintings of London have immediate impact and appeal.

Sarah Maclean

Sarah grew up in London and trained at the Camberwell School of Art. She is attracted to the urban nature of the city and is drawn to the bustle and pace of London life. She observes people on the move and is fascinated by how they relate to the vast buildings around them. Sarah works in varied mediums to great effect including watercolour, oils and charcoal. Her current focus is working on large charcoal drawings of street scenes, usually at night, when buildings are dramatically floodlit.

Amongst Sarah's most evocative portrayals are those of the busy West End and the romance of London theatre-land.

George Munton

George is a skilled draughtsman and painter with an adept grasp of perspective evident in his views of London and especially those of the River Thames to which he is particularly drawn. His work has a distinctly classical feel reminiscent of Turner and his paintings are often overtly calming in mood. George's primary interests are those of light and atmosphere and the effect these have both on cities and landscapes.

This young artist's work is continually developing; his paintings are becoming increasingly atmospheric and, as his confidence and technical ability mature, his works are growing progressively rich both in colour and texture.

Christopher Skripek

Cityscapes are Chris Skripek's principal subject matter. He focuses on areas of the city that a painter might not normally choose to depict, the sort of places people walk past everyday and take for granted. His work is influenced by the dramatic lighting of old black and white films and also by printmaking, namely etching, which he spent ten years indulging in. He paints mono-chromatically, employing the chiaruoscuro effects of deep, dark shadows against bright sunlight.

His handling of oil paint and use of heavy impasto give a remarkable energy to his work even in the darkest shadows. His depictions of London, its buildings and streets are impressive, both intensely bold and eye-catching.

Foreword by Peter Jensen

I have lived in London most of my life, but I have also spent a great deal of time visiting the major cities of the world on both business and pleasure. On my return to London I always feel proud of our city and believe that there is nowhere else in the world that compares with its history, its architecture, the stature of our buildings and the unique London environment. It is also a fun place to live.

It is my pleasure to introduce this tremendous exhibition of paintings and drawings by four of our leading artists. Their brief was to reflect their ideas on 'London – Our Great Metropolis'. As you will see their styles are all very different and reflect their own interpretations of our great city. Every individual reading this catalogue will have their own visions of London, some of which may well accord with our artists' portrayals; the landmark views painted by Terence Gilbert, the warmth communicated in Sarah Maclean's London scenes, the atmosphere conveyed in George Munton's paintings of the river, or the bold grandeur of Christopher Skripek's city views.

Interestingly, for all its landmarks, London has been under-painted over the years and we are enjoying this opportunity to put our city on the map in our exhibition at our Motcomb Street gallery right in the heart of London. We hope you will enjoy this varied selection of artistic views of 'London – Our Great Metropolis'.

Peter Jensen
Gallery Director