Discover the contemporary work of HARRY BARTLETT FENNEY

Painter; born in the village of Leagrave in Bedfordshire, England, attended dunstable school

then training as a draftsman in the local car factory; moving to London and working as an industrial designer: always painted in his spare time; and exhibitions for example in the 80 at the Century Gallery, Henley: pluto figarative works and landscapes; he then developed the abstracted forms

he frequented the art classes of Dolly Taylor in the 50s and Bridget Riley (life drawing Croydon in 1960, before she became world famous)

he has been living for about twenty years in Collinee, France, and enjoys his life in this town very much

his great passions are the painters and writers of the beginning of the 20th century, for example Klee, Leger, Pound and many others and later pop art of course

his current work is abstract, as he believes that this form makes possible the process of subconscious creation.

CREDO (said by Harry Bartlett Fenney the artist)

"when one finally realizes one is an artist and gives into this and accepts the fact; like when the ugly duckling finds out he is a swan!; then from thereon every mark made on paper, canvas or panel, however small, varied, large , simple or complicated - is a work of art by definition and indisputable !! whether it springs from the intuition or the intellect or both even "

First the landscape moves you ; natural phenomena: 

the receptive; your eyes -- what you see

Unsubduable urges ; you have to move - pick up the shovel: 

wide, the nostalgia, rain

Where the artist sits with the subject in full view,  from the top of a hill or amongst the trees, or in the life room, and records in his way what he sees; in great detail or as an impression etc., and depending on his gift and skill in handling the medium used he will produce works of greater or lesser virtue to be judged good or not so good throughout the range of portrait, landscape, still life etc.

Then your imagination stirs, runs riot, works on what you know,  illuminates the picture; you begin to let go.

The thoughts which all minds must have,  for instance,  what catches the eye  and stirs the soul -- the artist will make into a picture.

Then the Process hits you ; the artist finds his place ; alights ; comes to rest : correction ceases , every mark lives it's own life : breakthrough to  subconscious! 

When all personal involvement is fined out by the process,  pictures are carved of themselves; technical skills or shortcomings cease to have meaning. 

LIBRETTO (by HF 1998)

The Gentle Magician did his tricks ; suddenly the king of hearts was the acel of diamonds; paper flowers stood everywhere,  doves appeared from thin air.

The kindly audience didn't believe it as well,  but this is what magicians do; it was so obviously clever, practised carefully,  earned their admiration. The Gentle Magician knows this, and only knows what else he does. 

There is this need to be seen; striving to be eminent; more than vanity,  unapproved. 

Some see the other side,  it is his nature ; but what can he do with the trees he turns to stone. 

HF