A new exhibition by Thanet artists Ross Andrews and Darren Lewis has opened at Pie Factory gallery in Margate today (September 11).
Meet Us Where the Sky Touches the Sea is open daily from 10am to 6pm until September 22.
This is the fifth joint exhibition from Ross and Darren at the Pie Factory Gallery following previous displays titled ‘Sand, Sea and Light’ in 2016, ‘In and Out the Sea’ in 2017, ‘Thrills and Spills’ in 2018 and ‘My Sky–His Sea, His Sky–My Sea’ in 2019.
The new exhibition emphasises the two main elements which dominate their work, the sky and the sea. Expect large vibrant pieces to create a visual experience. Both artists often use the same subject matter but from very different approaches, perspectives and disciplines.
2020 has been a unique year living with the various social restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic. However, Covid-19 has also allowed many people to re-evaluate their previous existence.
Isolation has encouraged artists to focus deeper in celebrating the visual, with Ross and Darren’s creative endeavours increasing in output and intensity.
Having grown up on the coast, Ross has always been passionate about the sea and spends a lot of his time on the beach. He has fully immersed himself in this which shows in his art and photography. He pushes himself physically to capture the life and power of the sea. He captures the waves in full force and offers a new view of them, unfamiliar to and unseen by many. He endeavours to bring the sea, sky and coastline together from and beyond the wave.
Awareness, patience and timing are key elements to Ross’ work. Some pieces can take more than two years to capture and with a very small window of opportunity, all of the elements have to simultaneously come together. This is about combining photography, art and science whilst battling the elements of the sea, often at its most fierce.
Darren works in traditional oils capturing the stunning light, colour and luminosity the local coastlines have to offer. He seeks out euphoric skies full of intense colour and vibrancy aiming to capture the movement of the air with a subtle play of colours across a canvas. His skies serve as a dramatic backdrop to his chosen locations but the sea also plays an equally vital component to his compositions and can often provide stunning reflections to the skies he portrays, particularly Margate Harbour in the winter seasons.
Darren is becoming increasingly known for his depictions of the well documented Margate Harbour sunsets.
Pie Factory Gallery is at 5-9 Broad Street, Margate.
