Andrew James RP
Born in 1969, Andrew James is an artist living and working in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK.
From an early age he and his identical twin brother Paul, drew prolifically sharing a powerful interest in the visual world. They continued to be artistically productive throughout their school years.
2002 Elected Member Royal Society of Portrait Artists.
Only after leaving school at 15, briefly attending a course at Hastings College of Art & Design and training for a year to become a carpenter and joiner, did Andrew decide to commit himself full time to a project of artistic self education.
After eight years of intense isolated work Andrew spent the summer months of 1995 in North America, painting with Paul. This period of collaboration helped him bring together and define the key components of his artistic personality, the fundamentals of which sustain his practice to the present day.
On his return to England, Andrew set about deploying his new found vocabulary on what was the ideal subject matter for him, the people and place of Hastings in East Sussex. With the emphasis on its raw psychological climate and unsentimental realism, Andrew was able to pursue work that allowed him to concentrate on the existential aspects of painting.
2004 Featured on BBC's Star Portrait
A body of work was built up between 1995 -1998 leading to the successful entry into the London art scene by wining the Carroll Foundation Award for the portrait Ivy Cole, bestowed by the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP) in their 1998 annual exhibition. Regular exhibitions with the RP led to Andrew becoming an elected member in 2002 and in 2008 he became the Society's Vice President.
A 2003 solo show at the Mall Galleries in London was followed in 2004 by Andrew's involvement in BBC1 Star Portrait with Rolf Harris.
The portrait of David Dickinson was selected by the TV antiques expert at the reveal of the portraits in the National Portrait Gallery.
Since 2004 Andrew has been working continuously on commissioned portraits while still producing a broad range of other portrait and non portrait work.
Andy giving a 30 minute portrait demonstration
youtube.com
Master Class with Andrew James
Exclusive to Arte Umbria this Master Class offers serious artists the chance to study all facets of portrait painting in oils. The Master Class painting holiday includes seven days luxury accommodation in the Umbrian hills, on the border of Tuscany, Italy.
Course price of £1,200 is fully inclusive of tuition, painting materials, all food, wine & refreshments plus a number of local tours.
By popular demand Andrew is now running an extra painting workshop entitled 'The Self Portrait'.
26 September 2012 - £1200
A weeks work to explore aspects of the painted self portrait. Working with numerous approaches, through drawing and painting, the student would, by the end of the week look to develop a fully realised self portrait.
Includes a one day tour to explore the surrounding towns and Art Galleries.
Days 1 - 2
Discussion around the concepts of the Self Portrait and development of ideas aimed to achieve a design that will be carried by the student through the remainder of the course. Drawing in various mediums and painting techniques.
Days 3 - 5
To begin and complete a painted Self Portrait.
The week includes 5 short evening lectures from our resident Art Historian PhD with information on the History of the Self Portrait, it's place in the art world, the psychology and motivation behind the paintings. A chance for group disussion afterwards.
See the Master Class page for more details.
