John Hammond
Exhibitions

John Hammond – Summer Escapes

One of the UK’s lead­ing and crit­i­cal­ly acclaimed land­scape painters, John Ham­mond SWAc, is back for anoth­er eager­ly await­ed solo show at Marine House

If anyone can transport us to idyllic surroundings for sheer pleasure it is surely John Hammond. Well-known for his unique style, John delights in 'en plein air' painting and makes detailed sketches, before returning to his studio to build up layers of colour, light, and texture. With a sensuous play on light, his delicate handling of paint conveys a compelling sense of place.

In this new collection of works John has revisited locations that have most inspired him. Venice, Beer and the South of France. In mood, light, colour and expectation they are quite different. Venice exerts that frisson of ‘La Dolce Vita’ in its unique urban setting and the silver glitter on the water. In contrast John is captivated by the Belle Epoque architecture and relaxing café culture of the French Mediterranean. And then to a total change of mood to the simple boating, fishing and beach pleasures of Beer, a jewel on the Jurassic Coast.

With opportunities for travel restricted in 2021, John has visited locations where possible, but through his extensive library of sketch books and travel journals he has called on his memories to reawaken his love for these subjects which are shared by so many of us. Thus, in these constrained times these paintings take on a heightened significance. Indeed, they are a celebration of comradeship and shared human experience.

We at Marine House, in a relationship lasting over twenty years, have seen John’s style constantly evolve. We see passages of abstraction where freedom of brush work and colour are given greater rein. This freer style allows us to interpret the bustle of a café, the movement of people, bobbing of boats and swaying palms. Is it a trick of light or has the artist’s hand prompted our mind to conjure them from the surface as he evokes the feel of the unseen alongside the depiction of the seen?

We’re not just looking at these paintings, we are participating in them.

Having spent the greater part of two years creating these new works, we're delighted to be presenting John’s new grouping of 35 paintings.  
John Hammond
CREDIT
Disciplines
Painting