Former Fine Art Collector cover star Robert Oxley has gone back to basics for his hallucinogenic new release. Along with his own reference photography, the self-taught painter researched cave paintings, bestiaries and illustrations. The result is Primal Colours: an exhilarating transformation of the animal kingdom.
PRIM A L COLOURS
ROBERT OXLEY
As he looked Maya the jaguar in the eyes, animal artist Robert Oxley felt an instant connection. Brought to life on canvas by his passionate brushstrokes, the star of BBC Two’s Big Cats About the House embodied the lifeblood of his striking new Primal Colours collection: kinship. “ It really gets the blood pumping. For me, I see a brother or a sister, ” Robert explains. “ As children, we learn to read and identify animals together. For this body of work, I wanted to give meaning to humble creatures made more fragile in an ever-changing world. I went back to basics with my paints to show that we are all from a primal source, from the same forest and the same stream .” But basic certainly doesn’t have to mean boring. Animal instincts are personified by a stripped-back colour palette which explodes with fluorescent red, lemon yellow, blue, magenta and turquoise. Robert says: “ Keeping my palettes basic and vibrant has given me a whole new world of colour to play with. It allowed me to grow in a way I’d previously never thought possible. ” Delving into the history of animals, Robert immersed himself in a subject which spans thousands of years. From cave paintings and ancient bestiaries to the illustrations of American ornithologist John James Audubon and contemporary artists like Martin Wittfooth and Walton Ford, it was journey that heightened Robert’s psychedelic affinity with the animal kingdom.
He adds: “ I draw artistic strength and symbolic power from transforming animals into folklorist heroes. I think that early man – for instance at the Lascaux caves, or the petroglyphs and symbology of early civilisation – buried something deep in our psyche, and in doing so sparked the start of psychedelic art. I like to include the supernatural or depict animals as totems and idols. ” Swirling within the psychedelic paintings are memories from Robert’s childhood and time as a fledgling artist. “ It reminded me of being back at junior school and painting with those little watercolour cakes. ” he explains. “ I would have a raging tantrum if anyone muddied the colours – I’d get primal! Then when I worked at an arts and crafts superstore, I encouraged customers to mix colours instead of buying paints they didn’t need. ” Robert’s vivid perspective of the world is shaped by an intrinsic belief that animals and humans are one and the same. He adds: “ With this collection, I wanted to go back to school. I thought: ‘Let’s see what happens if I use only primary colours’ – no more natural palettes, no browns or greys. I want to show people a new way of looking at our natural history, and I can do this using colour. ”
‘TRULY, ART IS EMBEDDED IN NATURE; HE WHO CAN EXTRACT IT, HAS IT.’ ALBRECHT DÜRER
I WANNA BE LIKE YOU Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 83.3cm x 111.8cm £850 “This is inspired by one of the first apes to learn sign language, Chantek the orangutan. I discovered him via a random TED Talk and was fascinated to discover that he was a keen painter who not only understood American sign language but also created his own way of communicating. For instance, he called ketchup ‘tomato toothpaste’ and contact lenses ‘eye drinks’ – which I love.”
“Keeping my palettes basic and vibrant has given me a whole new world of colour to play with. It allowed me to grow in a way I’d previously never thought possible.”
“No more natural palettes, no browns or greys.”
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 83.3cm x 112cm £850 BUFFALO SOLDIER “I was inspired by the Oscar-winning 2015 film, The Revenant. Around 60 seconds into the movie, I thought about my granddad and how we watched Western films when I was a kid. I always cheered for the Native Americans, as they had the animal spirits to call on.”
“I LIKE TO INCLUDE THE SUPERNATURAL OR PORTRAY ANIMALS AS TOTEMS AND IDOLS.”
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 73.6cm x 112cm £775 NEVER FORGET “I was following the news story about 13 Tanzanian adult elephants who were to be fitted with state-of-the-art collars to send rangers real-time information to keep them safe from human conflict. I wanted to depict the elephant as if it’s running away from having the collar fitted. I imagined him returning to the herd to cries of ‘Ooh, get you and your flash new collar!’ – he certainly won’t be forgotten in a hurry with his new accessory. It’s also important to remember that whilst these animals look strong, they are vulnerable and need our care and protection.”
“We all come from the same place, we’ve just branched off into different directions.”
ATLANTIS
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 122cm x 91.4cm £895 “Synonymous with myth and legend, this regal turtle evokes a sense of speed and natural beauty as old as time. Like the lost city of Atlantis, the seas remain a great mystery to us. The inky depths are no more understood than the outer reaches of space, this is a place where nature reigns.”
“I wanted to go back to school. I thought: ‘Let’s see what happens if I use only primary colours’.”
“I WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT OUR NATURAL HISTORY, AND I CAN DO THIS USING COLOUR.”
PRIDE
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 91.4cm x 91.4cm £795 “The title is a word that represents the majesty of the lion. As far back as the Upper Paleolithic period (around 40,000 years ago), lions have been a symbol of strength and nobility across the globe. They are ingrained in human culture but remain one of the most primal and instinctual animals and the king of beasts.”
“With this body of work, I wanted to show animals as they are to me. We are all from a primal source, from the same forest and the same stream.”
An ardent conservationist, Robert became involved with The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent in 2018 after watching the heart- warming TV show. After deciding to paint Maya’s portrait to raise money for the charity, he unveiled his creation in May – raising £2600 in the process. Robert, who received a commendation from the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year panel in 2010, reveals: “I had the opportunity to get up close with big cats and feed them by hand. The most amazing thing was being able to show Maya her portrait and see her recognise herself. It was the starting point for this collection.”
“I like to include the supernatural or portray animals as totems and idols.”
“It really gets the blood pumping. I see a brother or sister, a kinship.”
HEAR ME ROAR
Hand Embellished Boxed Canvas Edition of 195 Image Size 83.3cm x 112cm £850 “This piece is based on the first photograph I took when visiting The Big Cat Sanctuary, and was the first piece I painted for Primal Colours. I love the position of the tiger’s head – it’s proud, noble and otherworldly. It held this pose for a long time, as if it knew its place and who it was. I’m very fortunate to have had this experience, as I got to go behind the scenes and see the majestic animals up close. It was a primal feeling and definitely a primal fear.”
“I DRAW ARTISTIC STRENGTH AND SYMBOLIC POWER FROM TRANSFORMING ANIMALS INTO FOLKLORIST HEROES.”
Born: Newcastle Lives and works: Marple, Cheshire Education: Salford University Awards: People’s Choice Award (IN:SIGHT, 2015) As a little boy, Robert dreamed of becoming a zoo keeper. Today, the lions, tigers and elephants who roamed his imagination are given life in his dazzling paintings. Following a childhood spent roaming the forests of a North East coalmining village, his affinity with nature is evident in every instinctive paint drip and brushstroke. Immersing himself in pop surrealism, Robert presents viewers with what he calls “psychedelic natural history”. The passionate conservationist takes reference from wildlife magazines, books and photographs. Starting with a large brush and thin yellow paint, he blocks in the shape of the animal and marks out the eyes and mouth while the paint is still wet. He then applies contrasting colours and lets them drip.
He adds: “The more I can throw down and the more abstract the shapes are, the more enjoyable the battle is. I’ve heard that the abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock said that if he planned a painting, he’d never make a mark. My work depends on spontaneity and a free association: I don’t really need an inspiration, I just do it.” An animal-enthusiast, he has recently worked on projects with The Big Cat Sanctuary and the National K9 Memorial to raise money for animals in need. Robert says: “I love the freedom and brutality of nature, but I don’t like what we as humans are doing to it. My art is a way of exploring and exposing this.”
PRIM A L COLOURS
ROBERT OXLEY
The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2019. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission. washingtongreen.co.uk
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