ASCENSION TO THE SUMMIT Paul Kenton
If you're yearning for the great outdoors, you'll love the new Ascension collection from Paul Kenton. Usually synonymous with dynamic cityscapes and urban landscape, Paul is also an experienced explorer and is always looking for new and inspiring landscapes. Painting en plein-air during his travels to various cities, mountain ranges and coastlines, his creativity and connection with the world around him flourished. In this new collection, we see Paul seeking inspiration from natural forms and the spectacular yet peaceful serenity of mountains. Paul’s spring 2022 releases take inspiration from a summer road trip to Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe. From Chamonix at the base of Mont Blanc, Paul travelled to the top of Aiguille du Midi, which offered spectacular panoramic views of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Paul says: “The mountain pieces have these amazing blue shadows, which for me form the shape of the mountain, rather than the snow.
I find the blues and the rock formations really interesting. You can also get a massive sense of distance, which is really exciting. I was mesmerised by the blinding luminosity of the white snow, and how distant mountains disappeared into a blue haze. Needless to say, I was compelled to capture what I had seen with paint back at the studio”. Showcasing his unrivalled method of painting, Paul uses a palette knife to scrape and sculpt paint into rugged, snow-covered mountains. He then builds the dramatic layers into the piece by scratching lines into the foreground and recreating the moody movement of the imposing mountains towering into the sky. The metallic element of his work has a transformative effect; in different lights, the paintings take on a new life – glowing one minute and shimmering the next. Paul adds: “Aluminium is a great surface to paint onto: it adds another feature and allows me to go beyond just the medium that I’m painting with.”
“I do paint a lot outside, and that gives you a true feeling of a certain place. I had a trip to Chamonix in France, where I went through the tunnel to check out the Mont Blanc, and I was absolutely blown away by the light.”
Breathless (opposite) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195
Image size 175cm x 66cm Framed Size 183cm x 74cm £1,495 Framed
Mont Blanc Splendour (below) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195
Image size 150cm x 76cm Framed Size 158cm x 84cm £1,495 Framed
Ascension Set of Two £2,695 Framed
102 FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING / SUMMER 2022
FINE ART COLLECTOR SPRING / SUMMER 2022 103
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