The Artist's Room Fine Art Gallery is thrilled to bring you a special on-line exhibition - THE MAN BEHIND THE PAINTBRUSH is Russell Hollings 39th solo show and features his Plein Air landscapes of the Queenstown area, Studio Still Life, and abstract originals.

"I draw & paint what inspires me & I hope to reveal & confirm that what I paint is of lasting importance.  Translating a subject into paint is very challenging & often mysterious & with 50 years experience - it doesn't get any easier!.

My PLEIN AIR works are all painted entirely on location from direct observation - I'm looking for immediate response, something that captures my eye.  After choosing my subject, I begin to assess the composition & come to terms with the tonal qualities & look at the colour orchestration.  I'm very much concerned with the atmosphere & the way the light permeates the scene in front of me.  These are all painted in one session.

STUDIO-BASED WORKS:

My STILL LIFE subjects are also painted from direct observation, but take a much longer period of time to complete - depending on how many sessions, I always work at the same time of day & in similar light.

LARGER LANDSCAPES are also painted in my studio, using smaller studies, drawings & colour notes taken on location as reference material and over a much longer period of time.

My ABSTRACT series are probbaly my hardest works to produce - as I am relying heavily on memory, experience as well as sketches & drawings to create a work.  I try to push the boundaries.  I am concerned about shape, composition, quality of paint surface & ensuring the work is sophisticated.  They resemble a battlefield throughout their creation & are worked on over many months - sometimes years until I am satisfied with the result."