Artist's Statement:
I am concerned with capturing the feeling of a subject rather than a topographical likeness. The subjects I look for and find visually exciting tend to be everyday, ' slice of life' subjects- the ordinary excites me! This can be a dilapidated set of buildings or a crowded interior with interesting light effects.
Method of Working:
John works mainly in watercolour, pastel, oil and sometimes acrylic. A large proportion of my painting is studio based, working mostly from sketchbooks in which he has collected lots of ideas and information over the years. Working outdoors is something he enjoys and would like to do more of in the future. His pastels are mostly worked onto mountboard using a watercolour or acrylic underpainting. His watercolours are painted directly onto paper or pastel paper, sometimes using a little body colour. He has a similar approach to oil painting, trying to work directly to create an impression rather than a copy.
Biographical Details:
Trained at Sir John Cass School of Art, London during the mid sixties in fine and graphic art.
Elected a member of the Pastel Society '82.
Became a full time painter/ tutor '88.
Works in pastel, watercolour, oil and acrylic.
Society Memberships
Pastel Society
Institute of East Anglian Artists
President of the Essex Art Club.
Scholarships, Awards, Prizes
Brandlier Prize (RWA)
Pastel Soc of Canada Award (PS)
Frank Herring Award (PS)
Buzzacott Award (PS)
Exhibitions:
Bacons Gallery 87, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97.
Denis Taplin Gallery 90, 93, 94, 95.
Southwold Gallery 2006, 2009, 2011.
Snape Maltings Gallery 2002, 2003.
Aubrey Gallery 2015.
Newport Gallery 91, 90.
Group Exhibitions:
The Alresford Gallery
The Wykeham Galleries
Linda Blackstone Gallery
Bank Street Gallery
The Hunter Gallery
Rowley Gallery
Publications:
Series of travel books for Gordon Fraser Books( 86-88),and
Andr'e Deutch (89). Contributions to several art publications;
Houses & Buildings, The Encyclopaedia of Watercolour Techniques,
The Encyclopaedia of Pastel Painting. Contributions to many art magazines
Website:
http://www.eastanglianartists.com/john-tookey.php
http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/artist/john-tookey-ps
