PopUp Painting’s ‘artist of the week’ is Christian Hook.
Christian Hook is a painter who was awarded Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year Award in 2014. As part of the prize for winning the competition the artist was commissioned to create a £10,000 portrait of actor Alan Cumming for the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Hook’s paintings are rooted in tradition, but also have a freshness and vitality that brings them in to the contemporary sphere. The artist is particularly interested in creating alternating perspectives on one subject. It may come as no surprise thus, that the artist has studied the work of Cezanne (with its multiple view points) extensively. It a multifaceted visual experience that Hook’s work conjures up. Through his play with perspective and layering of transparent paint the artist conveys a real sense of time and motion. The artist himself notes that ‘We are always on the move, if not physically, mentally’.
Hook’s career started when he studied illustration at Middlesex University, London before establishing a career as an illustrator for Disney and later lecturing in illustration at the Royal College of Art. Since appearing on the Sky Portrait Artist of the Year Hook’s career has grown and his work is now held at numerous highly regarded collections such as that of His Royal Highness Prince Edward. The artist has depicted many famous faces including Sarah Ferguson (Duchess of York), Alan Cumming, Sir Ian McKellen, Daniella Nardini, Richard Dawkins and Sally Hitchiner.
If you fancy yourself as the next Portrait Artist of the Year you can apply here.
We will be featuring the work of Christian Hook all week on our Facebook and Twitter pages, but in the meantime here is a selection of our favourite works by the artist:
