Andrew Farmer is an elected member of The Royal Institute of Oil Painters (ROI).  He lives with his family in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

“For this exhibition I’ve spent the last six months exploring the Yorkshire Coast. I was keen to revisit some of the places I remembered as a child, as well as to explore more isolated locations along the Cleveland Way. I love the beauty and visual range offered by this area.

My painting journey started at North Landing, Flamborough, a hidden gem which boasts striking white cliffs and emerald-green water. As I moved North, often on the edge if the costal path on my bike, I stopped to take in different scenes; sailing boats out at sea, hidden coves and children playing on the beach. My aim is always to capture the characteristics of a place at a particular point in time.

Many of the paintings you see here were created over two to three separate sessions, returning to the same spot under similar weather and lighting conditions. This allows me to dig deeper and build up richer layers of colour and texture in an honest and natural way.

My final painting location was Staithes, the furthest north I ventured and one of my favorites. I love the view over the beck towards the sea from the high vantage point. It’s a great feeling to be continuing the tradition of plein air painting in this region.

When I returned to my studio after each trip, I continued to work on a select few pieces, taking an initial oil sketch made outdoors and transforming it into a much larger and more imagined piece. I also made use of a small number of rare pencil drawings and reference photographs.”

Andrew Farmer ROI