Member Article

Northumberland Artist Donates a Portrait of a City

An award winning Northumberland artist has painted a portrait of a city. The new exhibition will launch on September 9 2015 at City Church at Castlegate in Newcastle.

Alan Reed has donated 22 oil paintings in which he depicts past and present members of the City Church Newcastle, to the organisation based at Castlegate in Newcastle.

“I’ve been a member of City Church, Newcastle for over 20 years. Knowing I am an artist, the church asked my advice about what kind of artwork would look good in their new atrium. It needed to reflect City Church’s vision to be a church of thousands, a community full of people from every nation. To me it was simple, it should be a collection of portraits representing our church family. And there we began…”

The portraits which will be on permanent display at City Church are painted in oils, on aluminium panels which first have to be prepared with emery paper, primed and undergo several other stages before painting can take place.

This is a departure for Alan whose award winning, 30 year career as a professional artist, has been more focussed on watercolour cityscapes, landscapes and seascapes.

“One of my favourite and most inspiring portrait artists is the Edwardian artist John Singer Sargent,” said Alan. “Portraits intrigue me as they depict how others see you. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the subject, drawing out their character – aiming not only to capture a likeness but also their personality.”

This year Alan was a Fine Art Trade Guild finalist for the Best Selling Artist with one of his limited edition prints of Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne; and was shortlisted for Artist of the Year 2014 by the Artists and Illustrators Magazine.

Alan trained as an illustrator / graphic designer at Newcastle College and spent the early part of his career doing artist impressions of new building projects for architects. He specialises in landscapes, cityscapes and portraits both in watercolours and oils, and has had many successful exhibitions both in the UK and abroad.

As well as painting portraits and watercolours, Alan also takes private and corporate commissions, provides lessons in painting and offers demonstrations as well as holidays. His paintings can be viewed online or in his gallery in Ponteland, Northumberland.

For more information go to: www.alanreed.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Deb Sharratt Communications .