ARTISTS. JOHN FOKER

I studied fine art painting at Norwich School of art between 1982 and '87 having previously done a foundation course at Farnham in Surrey .

I moved to Co' Durham from Norwich in 1989 and I am a founder member of Bearpark Artists' Co-op which formed in 1993.

My work is largely figurative and often features birds. Recently, I have been working on a series of drawings and paintings based around the activity of two rookeries located near the Co-ops' studio. Rooks and jackdaws are very common in these parts and provide plenty of opportunity for direct study.

I'm as interested in trying to capture the birds' character as I am in representing accurate physiology. One particular drawing “a rook leap year” measures 12' and comprises 366 squares each representing one day in 2008.

As well as the crow studies, I have been producing oil paintings of gasometers. Manchester , Bishop Auckland, London , St Alban's , North and South Shields have featured so far.

I make studies on site usually on days with bright sunshine which creates strong changes of colour and tone on all that iron-oxide rust.

I try to work as large as my studio space allows so the paintings tend to be about six or seven foot long.

"Rookery" oil on canvas 122 x 210
"Rookery" oil on canvas 122 x 210
£980

"Winter rooks" oil on canvas 16 x 20
"Winter rooks" oil on canvas 16 x 20
£150

"Lapwings" lino out 24 x 35
"Lapwings" lino cut 24 x 35
£75

"Rooks" lino cut 24 x 35
"Rooks" lino cut 24 x 35
£75

"Bishop Auckland Gasometer" oil on canvas, 2 (150 x 30)
"Bishop Auckland Gasometer" oil on canvas, 2 (150 x 30)
£1100

"Rook 366 – detail" Drawing 50cm x 366cm

"Rook 366 – detail" Drawing 50cm x 366cm


"The Oval Gasometers London" oil on canvas 122x 183
"The Oval Gasometers London" oil on canvas 122x 183
£1500

"St Albans Gasometers" 92 x 183
"St Albans Gasometers" 92 x 183
£1200


 
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