“Cherryl is bang in line of English eccentric artists: Blake, Calvert, Samuel Palmer, Richard Palmer and Stanley Spencer. These painters have no doubts about their work because they have a skill which enables them to give full reign to their zest for their subjects. Cherryl’s sheer application is amazing.” (John Ward RA)
The watercolours of local artist Cherryl Fountain give an almost autobiographical insight into her wide ranging interest and unique heritage. Born into a tradition of gamekeepers and gardeners, her unsentimental love of natural history is a core element of her richly complex still life, with taxidermy, fossils, exotic plants and vegetables often in evidence.
Highly regarded scholarships to Madrid, Rome and Pergia have been influential, forging cherished friendships, which have given her the opportunity to work for extended periods, in for example, Greece, and deepening her admiration and respect for the works of the old masters.
Cherryl’s painting is characterised by mesmerising observation and a dazzling technical execution. Finally honed in Piccadilly’s Royal Academy Schools, is very much in the tradition of, even a homage to, Spanish, Italian ad Dutch masters, whose works frequently appear in printed form from somewhere in her intricate compositions.
Cherryl has always enjoyed a passion for collecting, starting with dolls, which are still a favourite subject. The adventure of tracking down her subjects is central to her creative process, and many times the unexpected discovery of a fascinating artefact has sparked a new project. Cherryl’s tiny bungalow is literally crammed to the ceiling with pleasing objects. To make the choice a little more logical, she strictly themes her works, often by colour. One might think such careful draughtsmanship would lead to a studied, dry, academic feel, but Cherryl’s exuberant use of sumptuous vibrant saturated colour, rare in the medium of watercolour, make her creations leap out of the frame, with an uncanny three dimensional presence.
The self-portrait is a signature of her work, her face sometimes seen conventionally in a mirror, often hidden from all but the most intent viewer among reflections in glass or metal, always showing the tireless concentration her exacting style demands.
One of today’s most celebrated draughtsman David Hockney, once said only images which take time to create can reward time spent viewing them; was this ever more true than in the luscious visual feast presented by Cheryl Fountain.A Gallery of Cherryl's work can be seen here.
