Paul Darley is a painter in the truly English tradition, of one who grows up where he was born, in this instance Norfolk, and over a period of time familiarises himself with the landscape that surrounds him, then does nothing but paint it with feeling and compulsion in all it’s shades and forms. He can be found in all weathers, clement or otherwise, painting the wealth of Norfolk’s many subjects. Be it coastline, landscape or beach scenes with holidaymakers and local crabmen.
His paintings are vivid, highly observant and spontaneous executions of life in North Norfolk and it’s countryside. He uses a vibrant neo-impressionist palette to render in oil all his wry lyrical eye sees. This, coupled with his quirky choice of subject matter, (car park attendants, breakwaters and lifeguard huts) form an irresistible combination.
However, in spite of his highly charged palette, his paintings still retain an honesty and earthiness very much grounded in reality. His series of ‘crabmen’ and ‘tractor’ pictures attest to this idea. He is not afraid of the gestural mark, small areas of the canvas left unworked, or the blunt, honest titles that are very much his signature.
Paul Darley is not always concerned with an orthodox notion of compositional balance, although he can use it with mastery in work such as No Bathing. In the painting a deep red lifeguard hut on the Norfolk coast is lifted to almost iconic status by the vibrant play of colours which harmonise to provide a painting of warm, yet windswept serenity.
In December 2000 Paul won the Llewellyn Alexander Prize at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.
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Sketching Partyoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 |
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Marty's Returnoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 |
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Roger Goes Forthoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 |
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Long Walk Backoil on laid linen 12" x 16" £740 |
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Rounders, Cromer West Beachoil on laid linen 8" x 12" £480 |
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Fine Morning Returnoil on laid linen 6" x 8" £360 |
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A Better Morningoil on laid linen 16" x 20" £950 |
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Another Morningoil on laid linen 16" x 20" £950 |
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April Cromeroil on laid linen 16" x 20" £950 |
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Winter Prospect, Cromeroil on laid linen 12" x 16" £740 |
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Getting Startedoil on laid linen 12" x 16" £740 |
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I Think It's Charlesoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £510 sold |
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Little Chatoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 |
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Quiet Day At The Beachoil on laid linen 8" x 12" £480 |
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Nice Ice Creamoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £420 |
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One Day Last Summeroil on laid linen 6" x 8" £360 sold |
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Wind Breaks And Bananasoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £510 free delivery within UK mainland |
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Same Againoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 free delivery within UK mainland |
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Billy Johnno Willy And Markoil on laid linen 8" x 10" £430 free delivery within UK mainland |
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Ropemanoil on laid linen 10" x 8" £430 free delivery within UK mainland |
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September Sunoil on laid linen 6" x 8" £360 free delivery within UK Mainland |
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Boats, The River Blythoil on laid linen 10" x 12" £520 free delivery within UK mainland |
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Summer Weybourne Milloil on laid linen 12" x 16" £740 free delivery within UK Mainland |
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Winter Berny Armsoil on laid linen 12" x 16" £740 free delivery within UK Mainland |