Andrew Tozer: Impressions of Cornwall

Thompson's Gallery Aldeburgh is holding a one-man show by the extremely talented and sought after Cornish painter, Andrew Tozer. Andrew comes from a Cornish farming family and for as long as he can remember he loved being in the open air and being ensconced in nature. He spent hours roaming cliffs, beaches, woodland and creeks and was drawn to painting this backdrop as well as being inspired by his mother who was also an artist. At the age of 19 he moved to London to study art at the University of Westminster and then went on to Central St. Martin's School of Art. Whilst being away in London he learnt to consolidate his love of painting en plein air featuring the Thames, Richmond and Kew, and after moving back to Cornwall five years later in 1998 he quickly established a good reputation with many sell-out exhibitions with his beautiful and evocative landscapes and interiors.

The subject matter he chooses and is attracted to has the ability to transport him to a magical place and he tends to paint things that hold strong memories for him; a picnic on a beautiful beach, a vase of fresh flowers arranged by his wife or watching a sunset at St Ives after a long day spent playing in the sea. He is inspired by artists such as Raoul Dufy, Marc Chagall, Paul Maze, Winifred Nicholson and Henri Matisse. All have the ability to transport the viewer to a beautiful world transcending the harsher realities of this one. Their work seeks to evoke a feeling of content, to which they hope at some point to be able to return to. Andrew is keen to keep his paintings fresh and lively and keeps his colours bold and unfussed, the canvas free from being overworked.