Painting en plain air in bustling cities is no mean feat, but it’s something Paul has mastered over the last 30 years. His stunning new collection, London / New York, includes a selection of original works and six limited edition prints that capture the energy and colour of two of the world’s most exciting locations.
PAUL KENTON
In a collection that captures two of the most iconic cities in the world, Paul Kenton continues to define a new genre of cityscape art with London/New York . Without artifice or agenda, Kenton has harnessed his inimitable painterly observations to peel back the masks from the visage of these two cultural hubs and translate their every breath and heartbeat into contemporary fine art. Imbued with personality bordering anthropomorphism, one can derive the mood of these paintings at a glance, from a feverish intensity of colour offset by riotous beams of light suggestive of frenetic city life, to the subtler scenes of a city at peace with itself.
metropoles, whilst saluting their remarkable history, architecture, landmarks and style. Viewed in its entirety, this collection allows the onlooker to feel privy to Kenton’s own journey in creating it. Deftly guided by just the right amount of subject matter familiarity, we somehow see these scenes anew, and appreciate them as a renaissance of the relatable. London/New York is a considered, carefully curated body of work. Muted palettes that should, by rights, jar against more vibrantly depicted vistas serve only to compliment. Fast-paced scenes, when viewed alongside tranquil riverbanks, provide contrast rather than conflict. In short, Kenton has distilled the very essence of both cities and amalgamated them into a visual elixir, triumphant without arrogance and refined but not urbane.
Kenton continues to escort his collectors along a unique path, traversing the streets of these
ROYAL EXCHANGE Oil On Aluminium 122cm x 244cm
DUSK ‘TIL DAWN Oil On Metal 76cm x 101cm
NEW YORK HUSTLE Oil On Metal 47cm x 108cm
“I don’t know exactly where my painting will take me next, but I do know that maybe the journey is more important than the final destination.”
- PAUL KENTON, LDN , 2013
UNDER THE BRIDGE Oil On Metal 76cm x 76cm
HARMONIOUS NEW YORK Oil On Aluminium 61cm x 152cm
CITY STORIES Oil On Aluminium 101cm x 203cm
EMPIRE ENERGY Oil On Metal 76cm x 76cm
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT Oil On Metal 102cm x 127cm
INTERVIEW LONDON CALLING… What are your favourite painting locations in London, and why? I think I have been painting London for 30 years or more. I love South Bank, you’ve got so many interesting iconic buildings all the way along the river and, as I like to include water in my paintings, it’s the perfect combination of both water and landmarks. The light that settles as the sun comes down is so distinctive, it sets over the Houses of Parliament, casting shadows over South Bank. I also like the view from The Shard looking down on Tower Bridge, it shows a fantastic perspective as the river runs away into the distance. If you take a boat out onto the river itself, it’s great to see the docklands looking down to the bridges. Another view I love is from the Tate Modern, where you can view St Paul’s Cathedral over Millennium Bridge. Bridges and water definitely link these two special cities and are common themes in my work, because they cast
remarkable shadows, create shapes, angles and give perspective to the scenes I capture.
Painting en plein air is a difficult thing to do as there are so many people constantly moving through your line and sight, which continually plays with the way the light falls and the energy of the scene. It’s tricky but rewarding, and I do paint on location a lot as it really gets inside your blood. I think because you really get to experience the scene in real time, you retain a feeling that you’ve really done it. I feel that if you only use a photograph for reference, you don’t get the full and instant feel for the location. It’s the energy of the city that fires me up. What entices my eye is not the location, per se, but the way the light reacts on a whole spectrum of surfaces, that is the city to me.
Are you a frequent visitor? How do you spend your time when you’re in the city? Yes, every other month, but I don’t stay there for long periods of time as I like to go back to my roots and the calm of the countryside. The energy of the city can be overwhelming at times, so I prefer it in small doses. I enjoy having the opportunity to stay with friends, catch up with them over dinner after a long day of painting. London is a melting pot of culture, and really celebrates its diversity. There is also lots of cool art in the city - I really like the Tate Modern as I’m a fan of the contemporary. Although my personal collection at home is rather eclectic, from primarily graphical drawings, abstract work, Brazilian architectural drawings and beyond. The beauty of London is that there’s always something new to paint. When did London first grab your attention? I was a very young child when I first visited with my parents, and I remember to this day the impression it left me with; it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Whilst there
was no particular defining moment for me of being particularly or suddenly struck by London, if I look back to the days when I started out exhibiting at Battersea Affordable Art Fair, that was when I found myself visiting the city more and more often. As an artist, you take inspiration from the environment around you. I would love, one day, to paint a monumental scale commission somewhere in the city, preferably on the side of a building in a really derelict area – I think it would be different. There is nothing abstract about abstraction. How would you like people to relate to your paintings of London? I would hope that they get a nice feeling. I occasionally speak to people who understand – they just get it. It’s nice that they relate to the work and it seems to be timeless; there is no age group it doesn’t appeal to, or who can’t relate to my work. Some artists appeal to certain age brackets or demographics, but it’s fantastic to attract a wider audience. Viewers don’t just recognise the place, they also pick up on the energy I have depicted - the feeling is there.
PICCADILLY POP Oil On Metal 61cm x 122cm
“My loose style of painting; using drips and bold brush stokes, epitomises the fluid movement of the arteries of the city. I like to view these pieces as a filmstrip, rather than a frozen moment in time, bringing the canvas to life and engaging the viewer’s imagination.”
- PAUL KENTON, CITIES IN MOTION , 2011
LIQUID SKY Oil On Metal 51cm x 51cm
OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE Oil On Metal 51cm x 51cm
MEANDERING THAMES Oil On Metal 61cm x 152cm
BROOKLYN BY NIGHT Oil On Metal 122cm x 61cm
ADVENTURES IN LONDON Oil On Aluminium 101cm x 183cm
“I love to capture the mood and spirit of a scene, adding layers of depth and expression which just can’t be captured in a straight pictorial study, almost like a short film, or series of photos which capture as much detail of a scene as possible. The sights, sounds, movement, light, tastes, and even smells which combine to create the big picture, this is what I’m looking for, and what I strive to achieve within my work.”
- PAUL KENTON, CAPITAL IMPRESSIONS , 2014
BROOKLYN GLOW Oil On Metal 61cm x 61cm
NEW YORK NOISE Oil On Metal 122cm x 183cm
“My cityscapes reflect the many moods of manmade landscapes; I find it exhilarating to express furious movement, artificial lights and the vibrancy of a busy city centre at night as well as the subtler moods of a misty dawn at the same venue.” - PAUL KENTON
KALEIDOSCOPE Oil On Metal 122cm x 122cm
A MOMENT OF CALM Oil On Metal 61cm x 152cm
“My signature drip effect is used here to depict the fast movement of lights and traffic, and areas of exposed metal allow for light to be reflected off the buildings, much like they would in reality at night. Leaving out fine details, I painted with spontaneity, laying down swaths of colour, giving this painting a fresh and authentic energy.”
- PAUL KENTON, LONDON | NEWYORK , 2019
DOWNTOWN STREAMING Oil On Wood 91cm x 61cm
LAST LIGHT Oil On Metal 122cm x 122cm
STREETS BELOW Oil On Metal Framed 91cm x 183cm
BROOKLYN GEOMETRY Oil On Metal 122cm x 122cm
“Colour is essential for projecting a mood within my paintings. I use a richly saturated colour palette to create a focal point within the work.”
- PAUL KENTON, LONDON | NEWYORK , 2019
CITY FIRE Oil On Metal 101cm x 101cm
INTERVIEW NEW YORK, NEW YORK… What’s your routine when you’re in the city? Staying central is key for me as it makes exploring much easier. My preference is always to walk or get a taxi rather than going on the subway, so that I can view the city from as many different perspectives as possible. Walking is without doubt my first choice (weather permitting!) because it’s all too easy to miss details and vertical views in a car. Also, I can soak up the atmosphere and navigating the city on foot also means I find the best places to eat; sushi is my favourite, but I’ve also discovered some fantastic diners and coffee shops over the years. Can you remember your first visit as a working artist? It was in 1995, I travelled over with my easel, sketch book and paints to get reference imagery with the specific goal in mind to capture the energy of the city. Funnily enough, I can’t remember
the exact locations I sketched, I think I was far too overwhelmed by the whole experience.
What keeps you coming back? The grandeur of it all. The height of the buildings is so unusual, you just don’t find things on that scale and compacted into such a densely populated area anywhere else. You can get an amazing view from any spot, just literally stop and look around you. The perspectives that appealed most to me during my last visit were the views as seen from above, looking down from a higher vantage point, like the time I spent capturing material from the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn. The skyline is ever-changing, you could walk the same streets 365 days a year and still find something new, a fresh angle or a new perspective on something in New York: it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Does the variance of light from season to season, and the changing sunrises and sunsets, affect your plans? Sunrise and sunset are key times to capture a view, and both were spectacular during my most recent visit. In the evenings in particular, the light on the buildings become a vibrant orange, it really is something else. There are certain avenues that you can catch the sunset coming straight down in between the buildings, I particularly like to capture that. Sunrise is just as impressive; early morning light brings everything to life, with nice crisp sharp colours. What are your best memories of NYC? My best memory happened during my latest trip. I had set up an easel at 5:30am in Times Square and was painting the morning’s first rush at about 8am when an ABC network television crew from Good Morning America filmed me painting, meaning I was broadcast live to their viewers. I had a crowd of people gathered around watching as I worked, and that was a special moment. I also distinctly remember the first time I saw my favourite Jackson
Pollock painting at MoMA. I had admired it for so long, it felt very surreal to be viewing the real thing. I think that’s what New York is all about, a timeline of great and special moments. For this collection, how many locations did you revisit, and how do you feel your technique of capturing them has evolved since your earlier visits? Obviously I am always on the lookout for new angles and locations, but I always go back to the same spots. I like to revisit places I have painted previously to see how they have changed over time in this ever-evolving landscape. They feel like old friends; I like to check in with them, and see how they’re doing. Given that my practice has evolved hugely, it provides a wonderful contrast to view my earlier sketches alongside my most recent work. I have changed my medium over time, from canvas to aluminium, and my application has become much more refined. I think every artist should move on with their own style. I paint a lot - every day - so I have many opportunities to experiment with different techniques. If I like it, I’ll stick with it for a while until the next technique develops, and that’s how my work continuously evolves.
CITY VEINS Oil On Metal 46cm x 152cm
INNER CITY BUZZ Oil On Wood 61cm x 91cm
“I like to approach something familiar, from a new angle…be it an iconic London building or a well-known landmark in New York. I look to give the viewer a sense of what’s happening, whilst drawing them in closer to look again and find the detail in my free-flowing and energetic lines.”
- PAUL KENTON, IN THE CITY , 2009
LONDON RADIATES Oil On Aluminium 61cm x 61cm
LONDON METALLIQUE Oil On Metal 91cm x 183cm
DOUBLE TAKE Oil On Metal 101cm x 101cm
SUNDOWN Oil On Metal 101cm x 183cm
FIFTH OF NOVEMBER Oil On Aluminium 5 x 82cm x 54cm
ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE Oil On Metal 101cm x 127cm
“I really enjoy the unpredictability of scraping paint across the metal, as you never quite know what incidental patterns and marks will be created, or how the colours will blend together. The numerous layers of vibrant paint reflect the spirit and vigour the scene, and aim to make the viewer feel like they can almost hear the sounds which pulsate around the city.”
- PAUL KENTON, LONDON/NEWYORK , 2019
CITY COLLAGE Oil On Metal 101cm x 127cm
FAST LIVING Oil On Aluminium 122cm x 122cm
AMERICAN DREAMS Oil On Metal 102cm x 127cm
SOUTH OF THE RIVER Mixed Media On Aluminium 61cm x 152cm
FROM DUSK TILL DAWN Oil On Aluminium 61cm x 122cm
NEW YORK EXCITES Oil On Metal 102cm x 127cm
RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT Oil On Metal 91cm x 183cm
“The pace of life in New York has always astonished me. My paintings evoke the atmosphere of the ‘city that never sleeps’ creating a mood of meaning and purpose.”
- PAUL KENTON, NEW YORK CITYSCAPES , 2017
MADISON AVENUE Oil On Metal 101cm x 51cm
TOWER BRIDGE REFLECTS Oil On Metal 45cm x 152cm
THE BIG APPLE Oil On Aluminium 152cm x 61cm
AS DAY LIGHT FADES Oil On Metal 101cm x 183cm
WINTER STROLL Oil On Boxed Metal 54cm x 82cm
LONDON’S PATTERNS Oil On Metal 61cm x 152cm
KALEIDOSCOPE (Left) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195 Framed 81cm x 81cm
DUSK ‘TIL DAWN (Above) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195 Framed 122cm x 96cm
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT (Above) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195 Framed 115cm x 96cm
ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE (Right) Triple strike print to aluminium with varnish finish Edition of 195 Framed 81cm x 81cm
OVER THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE (Left) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195 Framed 81 x 81cm
LIQUID SKY (Above) Triple Strike Flatbed Print on Aluminium Edition of 195 Framed 81 x 81cm
Paul was born in Derby in the late sixties, but his family relocated to North Devon when he was eight years old, a move which looking back was pivotal in Paul’s development as an artist. Paul showed an interest in painting from an early age; while others wanted to be doctors or pilots he clearly remembers telling a teacher that he wanted to be an artist. This was cemented when, at the tender age of twelve, he won a national colouring competition – winning a prized set of paints. It was also around this time Paul began his lifelong fascination with the sea and surfing. He continued to draw and paint all through school painting in watercolour and focused on capturing the many moods of the North Devon Coast. After University he worked as a draughtsman while still painting in his spare time. Paul quickly realised the rigid format of engineering just wasn’t for him and set off to explore the world with his paints and surfboard in tow. In 1995 he took the plunge and started to paint full-time and began exhibiting. Mainly working in acrylic and oils he took his inspiration from his world-wide travels; the cityscapes, cafes, harbours, bridges, seascapes, people, and cultures of
the places he visited.
Paul’s painting style has evolved into a free flowing fusion of various media, choosing not to stick to the constraints of any one medium, simply picking what he feels would communicate the ideas he has for a piece best. Paul’s paintings have continued to evolve and Paul has become one of Britain’s most successful and sought after artists. Paul is currently exhibiting throughout the UK in over thirty prestigious galleries, and has followers and collectors worldwide. In 2012 he was commissioned to paint three large pieces for the 2012 London Olympic games, the paintings were to capture the mood and excitement of London during the games, and were hung in the Olympic Park for the duration of the Olympics. Paul was one of the contributing artists for ‘The Big Egg Hunt 2012’ which was one of the largest and most interactive public art displays London has ever seen. Now settled in Ilfracombe with his Brazilian partner, Alexandra, and two young daughters, Paul still surfs when he’s not busy painting in his brand new purpose-built studio or enjoying the hectic pandemonium of family life.
2010 - ELEPHANT PARADE
2012 - LONDON OLYMPIC Contributed to the outdoor art campaign Elephant Parade 2010, displayed outside Sotheby’s & Halcyon Gallery on New Bond Street, London, raising money for the endangered Asian elephant.
Commissioned to paint three large pieces for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
2012 - CLIC SARGENT CHARITY AUCTION 2012 - CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL 2012 - THE BIG EGG HUNT 2012 Invited to the City of London School to paint the ‘Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant’.
2013 - Richard Smith Bespoke Collaborated with Richard Smith Bespoke, to create an exclusive collection of suits, painted on by Paul using his signature drip technique.
2013 & 2014 - Parkinson’s UK Charity Auction 2014 - Meningitis Research Foundation Meningitis Research Foundation 25th Anniversary Ball auction, Grand Connaught Rooms, London.
2015 - Royal Air Force
Collaborated with the Royal Air Force to paint the iconic Sea King helicopter on its final trip. Money raised by the painting went to a number of charities.
2016 - Pele
In celebration of Brazilian Footballer Pelé’s 75th birthday, Paul painted five pieces of art in his honour.
2016 - SEGA
Collaborated with Sega to create a signed limited edition ‘Sonic 25’ collection as a 25th Anniversary celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog.
2016 - Parkinson’s UK Charity Auction
2010 - London Lights appearances at Castle Fine Art galleries in St Christopher’s Place and Covent Garden. 2011 - Cities in Motion touring exhibition in galleries across the UK. 2013 - LDN touring exhibition in galleries across the UK 2014 - Capital Connections touring exhibition in galleries across London. 2015 - Art Life Football Halcyon Gallery, New Bond Street, London. 2016 - Sonic 25 Castle Fine Art, South Molton Street, London. 2017 - Metallique touring exhibition in galleries across the UK. 2018 - Exposition Castle Fine Art, International Convention Centre, Birmingham. 2018 - Metallique II touring exhibition in galleries across the UK. 2019 - London/New York exhibitions in Chase Contemporary, 10th Avenue, New York and Castle Fine Art, South Molton Street, London.
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.
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