Andy Blake (2)

New Milton artist Andy Blake makes his 13th visit to the Regent Centre in Christchurch with his distinctive Oil paintings, from Saturday 2 to Friday 22 May.

Andy is a former chief surveyor with the Ordnance Survey in Bournemouth and he took early retirement in 1999 to devote more time to his art and becoming firmly established on the local scene as a full-time artist.

Andy is a totally self-taught artist working in Oils. He specialises in land and seascapes bringing finely tuned cartographic skills to his paintings, characterised by close observation of his subjects, depth of colour and full use of light.

Apart from scenes of Christchurch and other local areas, his work takes in studies of coastal views, boats, and larger atmospheric seascapes. In particular the movement of waves and water are striking features of his paintings. This years exhibition entitled ‘Land & Sea’ will be a mix of work to include paintings of the Cornish coast; a striking Mediterranean Sunset seen from on board a cruise ship; Chains at Bucklers Hard and a perspective of the new Bembridge Lifeboat Station & Pier on the Isle of Wight. The Exhibition can be viewed in the foyer during the Regent Centre’s normal opening times.

Andy is on the Committee of the Christchurch Arts Guild and is a member of CAD Arts (Christchurch and District Arts). He exhibits in their annual group shows at the Red House Museum, Kings Hotel and Priory House and for several years has also held his own annual exhibitions at the Hayloft Gallery in Wick Lane and Place Mill on Christchurch Quay. His work has also been accepted at previous open events at Highcliffe Castle and the St Barbe Museum, Lymington.

He favours commissions with enthusiasm, having built a growing reputation for this work over recent years, to include private boats and houses as well as special requests for certain views. Examples of his work now hang in private collections in Australia, South Africa, USA and Poland.

Although Andy started painting full-time in 1999, he first took up oils in 1981 with his first major work being a scene of Corfe Castle for an anniversary present for his parents, which is now inherited and still hangs proudly today! ’