Biography and Exhibition Information

 

EXHIBITIONS

2017

8th April - May 27th @ The Hidden Olive Sutton Harbor, Plymouth Solo Exhitions "Hidden Inspirationr"

2nd September - 24th September @ Artizan Gallery, 7 Lucius St, Torquay TQ2 5UW. Solo Exhibition

2016

October 2nd - Dec The Drake Manor Inn The Village, Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, Devon

September 23rd- 25th Plymouth Art Weekender in my Gallery

February 26 -28th Exhibited at Oxford Internation Art Fair

2014 - 15

Major Exhibition "Positive Path"

Sept-October 11th Art Source Contemporary Gallery, Royal William Yard, Plymouth

February - April, 2014 Painting "City Echo" Plymouth County Council Art House Exhibition. As I was the collaborator of the previous year where this exhibition began I am proud to of had the chance to exhibit again within this show

2013

November Autumn Exhibition in Royal William Yard

Tatton Park Flower Show July 2013. with August Garden Designs Sound Idea Garden, We were awarded silver plus Best Small Garden of show

Hampton Court Flower Show July 2013. A long with August Garden Designs I showed 5 Chimeric Prints with in a garden called "The Singing Tree" We were awarded Bronze so well happy

2012

Solely worked on my new series for the year with a solo exhibition at the Royal William Yard in september

Wild and Free Exhibition in the Martin Bush Gallery went on show in September. 2011

Fringe Exhibition to British Art Show 7 Sept - Dec

Murray VW Show Rooms Solo Exhibition Sept - Oct. Millbay Road Plymouth.

Spring Summer Exhibition June - July 2011 in my gallery Martin Bush Gallery Brewhouse, Royal William Yard,

Gallery in The Square Usk, Wales.

The Mortgage Shop Mutley Plain, Plymouth

Gallery Guest House, North Road East, Plymouth

Tamar Science Park, Plymouth

Millfields, Plymouth Showing in board room area

2010

High Elm Manor with Brizatti Fine Art 31st Oct

Browns Hotel Tavistock, Devon

22 Mill Street Restaurant Chagford, Dartmoor, Devon.

Kaya Gallery Totnes, Devon

61 Walcott Street Gallery Bath

2009

Bistro One, December to March 2010

Kaya Gallery, Totnes December

Summer Exhibition in my gallery August

Bistro One, May-June Jazz Series

Spring Exhibition in my gallery April

Kaya Gallery, Barbican, Plymouth May-June Jazz Series

One Toe in the Water Gallery Foye Cornwall

2008

Tamar Science Park, August - September, Plymouth

Bistro One, May - September Ebrington Street, Plymouth.

Bond Pearce Feb-March Gallery Space, Ballard House, West Hoe, Plymouth.

Bistro One, Feb - April Ebrington Street, Plymouth.

2007

July Solo Exhibition in the Royal William Yard Plymouth

April Ickenox exhibition, Dray Walk, Brick Lane, London.

Bistro One, Feb Ebrington Street, Plymouth.

2006

June- Organized and exhibited in Plymouths Art Fair in the Royal William Yard

Steps Gallery, Christmas Steps, Bristol.

2005

h.Art Hereford art week, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire 10th - 18th Sept 2005 click for details

2003-2004

M.art.IN Gallery, Tintern, Monmouthshire.

Commission for large scale canvases Bridewell Place, Fleet Street London.

Ross on Wye international Festival. Art show with Blue Tube Gallery.

White Space Gallery, 49 Bridge Street, Usk.

Forest of Dean Heritage Museum.

2003

Engaging Arts Manchester.

Verdi's Cafe, Mumbles, Wales.

Karen Taylor Contemporary art gallery Twickenham.

Iona House Gallery, Woodstock, Oxfordshire.

Commission for 80 mtr Mural Cardiff, CLICK TO SEE

2002

Fresh Art Fair London.

White Space USK.

Brewhouse Mural, Oxford, UK. click to see

 

 

 

BRITISH ABSTRACT PAINTER FOR OVER 20 YEARS

A little bit about me…. .  .  .  .    .  .

Before embarking on a career as a painter I had my own commercial art business for 10 years working in and around London and many places across the UK. I lived in Oxford for most of this time and gained many creative projects from large murals to developing fun ideas for signs and interior decor for the restaurant, pub and catering trade.

This I feel equipped me to succeed as an artist painter which I decided was the next path for me and has been an exciting and ever evolving pleasure

What inspires my art?

My career as a painter began with a year living in Thailand in 1997-98 and where I began my passion to paint.

I remember the overwhelming feeling from this experience was the sense of freedom and by absorbing this amazing countries culture I had found a place that was to change my life and fire my inspiration even to this day. Adding to this my previous travels to places such as California, South Africa and many other countries developed the foundations to the expression within my art.

I still visit Thailand each year to recharge by art batteries and is now my second home with family and friends I am glad to have and enjoy.

The Artist’s who have inspired my marks and painting Howard Hodgkin, Gerhard Richter, Pollock and any other painter who delves into the abstract. Oh and a little bit of Picasso and Matisse of course.

What else is important to my work?

From many years of painting and exhibiting I have been inspired by the public and their response to my work. To lift people’s spirits with my imagery has been a delight and is what keeps the palette alive.

Everyone sees the world differently and watching and listening to people discuss my paintings is always stimulating, I have felt that looking into an abstract painting can be parallel to looking into a mirror. Your focus becomes a reflection on who you are and where you have been.

I look forward to hearing people’s reactions and emotional responces while absorbing my creations and that I may

                                     .   .   .  .  . …..open your mind

HISTORY

1983-86 Birmingham Polytechnic. Art and design BA (Hon's) degree.

1986-2000 Mural and commercial art for many large and independent brewery chains, restaurant groups and corporate customers incorporating murals, chalkboard art as well as graphic work for various breweries and licensees.

1997 Traveled to the Far East, Thailand to discover and develop my abstract painting

From 1997 to the present day I have continued developing and working on my abstract painting and finding influences and direction for my painting.

More Information. Studying in Design and observing our modern world my work aspires towards contemporary imagery and my inspiration is driven by my journey through out my life visiting such places as Thailand to California where I breath in the culture and aspire to these worlds. My palette is often vibrant with energy driven marks and explores personality within. With a free flow marks allowing the paint to develope in a natural and unhindered way new things can happen and the discovery and journey takes each painting to it's own conclusion.

Publications

Plymouth Magazine Oct 2011

Devon Life Magazine September addition on line 2010

Art of England Magazine (Click to read) August addition 2010

Exeter Living Magazine November- December 2007

Art in Devon Magazine Summer addition and Winter 07

tel: UK +44 07703 231150 E

Mail art@martinbush.co.uk

www.martinbush.co.uk

My Journey into Abstract Art of England Magazine 2011

Martin Bush is increasingly being acknowledged as one of the regions leading contemporary abstract artists. As Resident Artist, Martin has just moved into a new Gallery and studio at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard, his fourth space there within the last five years.
Having been a successful commercial artist, how did Martin develop into the world of fine art? In 1997 he sold his business, took some time out and traveled. This was the break he was looking for. Beginning with charcoal then oil, Martin began to experiment with marks; the strokes were quite free and vibrant yet bring together a very powerful and alluring imagery. His emotional journey into art had started. As Martin says:
The part of me that gives this drive to create has been my life of travel and exploration into different cultures. There are many journeys that make up who I am; my main interest has been the juxtaposition of Thailand and the Thai culture with California and it’s vibrant art scene.
Watching Martin work, you quickly become aware that, as he liberally applies his background colour, he became lost in a world beyond canvas and paint. Martin paints with the canvas flat; scrapers push colour around, mixing pigments as part of the process. More paint adds depth to marks that will bring texture. Boldness and subtlety, balance and harmony begin to appear. The canvas is flipped and viewed from different angles; some areas are reworked adding further depth. As the process comes to an end, highlights may be brought in through small interventions or the dribbling of yet more paint. No matter what the painting looks like, it is impossible at this stage to tell whether it has worked. The drying process changes the nature of the art. Paints fuse, shrink and crack; some colours become dull as a result of the mixing they have undergone. Over a course of days and weeks the work will be examined, retouched, added to and sometimes almost totally reworked.
For Martin, it is only the contemporary abstract style that enables him to truly express himself and add strength to his work. He describes the process he goes through as ‘painting with the sub-conscious mind’. As he increasingly trusts this connection he finds that his work becomes freer. He is able to keep the expression in his work fresh and flowing, delivering results full of energy, colour and intrigue.
Martin Bush knows he is a man in a privileged position. Having his own studio and gallery in the stunning Royal William Yard is something that many artists would aspire to. Why does painting and showing in the same space matter to him?
Having my own gallery in Plymouth has given me a close connection with lots of people. As I talk to visitors I am pleased by the depth of their understanding of what they see and the positive comments I hear. Although, as a contemporary abstract artist my work comes from within; it is important for me to have feedback, as this helps to give me the sense that the painting is right and stands up as part of what I am offering in my creative journey.
The works on show in Martin’s first exhibition in his new gallery come from series painted over the last eighteen months. They are infused with the changing seasons; hot and blue skies to cold and darker times. The painting reflect the impact these changes have on his energies, mood and palette with the marks he makes seeming to absorb these elements.