Tuesday 4 October 2011

Bernard Dunstan

Bernard Dunstan is in his early 90's and still going strong you can usually find one or two of his works in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the New English Art Club annual exhibition. Brian Sewell writing of this years 's RA Summer Exhibition said " Consider the quiet perfection of small paintings by Diana Armfield and Bernard Dunstan, their painterliness never overblown, their brushstrokes free but matched to the canvas size, never mere gestures straining to be noticed. They set an example to expansive painters who must dab, dab and dab again to cover the canvas without adding a smidgen of significance."



Winter Morning oil on canvas 1991
Diana Armfield is Bernard’s wife who is also his muse, this was painted at their Welsh home.



Olga black chalk 1947
He studied at Byam Shaw School of Art and at the Slade School of Fine Art in London.



Cornelissen’s art supplies shop London oil on board 1987
Subsequently he taught at Byam Shaw. He was made a full member of the RA in 1968 and is currently the longest serving Royal Academician.




Nude at Curtain oil on board 1986
 He has written several books on painting, including 'Learning to Paint' and 'Painting Methods of the Impressionists' all of his books are well written and interesting, well worth finding.

4 comments:

Thomas Haskett said...

Great post Dave, thanks for bringing Dunstan to my attention. Love his work. Look forward to seeing more!

Journeyman said...

Glad you like his work Tom I think he must have been a good teacher. He was pretty upset with the way teaching was going in the sixties when the new collages dropped life drawing and encouraged abstract work. That I think is what eventually persuaded him to became a full time artist and leave teaching.

Susan said...

Thansk for introducing me to this wonderful artist - this work leaves me wanting to see more so I will google him and do a little more researh. Its so wonderful to hear that he is still painting into his 90's - I am sure I will aspire to that kind of painterly longevity as well!

Journeyman said...

Hi Susan, longevity seems to go with painting and drawing :) In the one portrait group I attend there are four people over the age of eighty, the oldest is ninety two! All of them are lively and energetic and get up to the most surprising things :) I’m sure the wonderful energy you portray in your paintings will carry you through a long and productive career.

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