artists register

Statement

Jeff Hoare was the original 'sea painter' - not painting views of the sea, but immersing large canvases in the water and pouring colours on the wet surface. Sometimes the waves wipe the canvas clean, but the movement of the breaking waves work with the artist to shape the final sea painting. On occasion the wind has nearly carried him off with the canvas!  After years of experimentation, Jeff came to use acrylics mixed with sea-water.  The finished painting will still be wet, for once dry, the colours lose their movement. The pictures don't represent the sea as a formal picture, but in their abstract vibrancy capture the motion, the feel and the depth of the elements.

In recent years, Jeff used a similar water technique for acrylic on paper, or on smaller canvases for landscapes, as well as pastels on paper. Occasionally he used to mix media completely in order to achieve what he wanted. For over 30 years he taught part-time as well as painted. In the early years he used more traditional media: oils, charcoal, pen and ink. Never afraid to try something new he also drew political cartoons, painted stage scenery and dancers, and always experimented with materials. 

Jeff  worked outdoors, rarely indoors.  He believed in looking at his surroundings, absorbing what he saw and converting the energy into his work. His paintings reflect or capture something of the natural world and energy around him, if only for a fleeting moment in time. No one instance will ever be the same - so there is pressure to work fast.

Hugely energetic, his students found him inspirational, he taught them to see the world differently and he challenged them to dig deep into their creativity. A true artist who lived his work, painting to the end.

Jeff Hoare  1923 - 2019

Biography