Victoria Fontaine-Wolf ~ ‘ideal beauty’

Victoria, good friend of Cristus, has twice been reviewed on this site and has for some time been available for portrait commissions at the gallery. This is, however, the first time that we have tempted her to exhibit, with two paintings in the winter exhibition. Both feature contemporary pre-Raphaelite subjects of exquisite charm and beauty. I say contemporary, because they are not the lost or fallen mid-Victorian females of the PRB; rather, in their contentment and demeanour, they are more representative of our times. Isabella (and the pot of basil), featured above, even wears Victoria’s own favourite dress, though painted in a style that would no doubt find Ruskin’s approval.

Sumptuous in colour and detail, elaborately framed, they look magnificent!

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‘Acceptance’ by Jessica Stride

“Acceptance” by Jessica Stride showing her typical mastery of colour. Acrylic on canvas. Presentation is on an unframed deep box canvas. More details.

Buy an open edition print here.

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Walking the Bristol AAF with Neil Jones

‘Twice round,’ said Neil. ‘First you must get immediate impressions of what you like, then you can return to have a closer look.’ This we did, while chatting about all things art and exhibiting at Cristus.

We’ve known about Neil for some time, emailed but never met, and marvelled at the impossible realism of his creations.

Like the whole of Bristol, the AAF is impressive on the day. The building in which it functions is a Great Western delight, gothic and massive, with the expected rubbish hanging pipework and overspilling guttering. Somehow, there is comfort in seeing this abuse of our heritage, a reminder of good old British Rail. Neil, a man of gentle nature and refinement, agrees.

Art fairs are the way forward, they say - a way of connecting the seller of art with the buyer. No need for galleries with their limited choice and intimidating ways. Certainly, the format seems to suit everyone. The galleries know that anyone willing to pay £6 to park and £5 to enter is likely to be bristling with art money. No time-wasters here. While the collector no doubt enjoys the sight of gallerists smiling nervously, fiddling with keyboards and constantly rotating their stock. The occasional outgoing brown-paper parcel is evidence that business is being done.

Neil is kinder than me about the quality of the art. On our second circuit, it all starts to become a picture show, but Neil calms me and gets me to look at the positives, not least the amount of meticulous oils on offer. Painting in oils has returned and replaced the splodgy acrylics and conceptual piles of the last decades. If this is a reaction, then I’m broadly in favour of it. Like the old masters, these artists are declaring ‘I can paint feet and hands in oils. Can you?’ But much of the purpose of art is lost if nothing is being expressed, apart from technical excellence.

This is why Neil’s work is so exciting. His painting of ‘Alfred’ is a display of his mastery, while the expression of the sitter’s character prevents a superficial viewing. Similarly, his sculptures have to be touched; and they are so real, it’s like they’ve just died in your hands.

See Neil’s specially commissioned pieces at the forthcoming Cristus Gallery H. G. Wells Festival Exhibition, which forms part of the H G Wells centenary event. Preparations are also well advanced for a Neil Jones solo show in the autumn.

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Wish by Jessica Stride

A stunning portrait by Jessica Stride showing her typical mastery of colour. Acrylic on canvas, 20″(h) x 16″(w). Presentation is on a deep box canvas and is therefore unframed. Buy the original here. 

Buy an open edition print here.

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