Press Release: John Dyer and Joanne Short Exhibition - A Celebration of the environment in Cornwall and Africa

Press Release: John Dyer and Joanne Short Exhibition - A Celebration of the Environment in Cornwall and Africa

John Dyer and Joanne Short, two of Cornwall's most acclaimed artists, will be showcasing their new paintings celebrating Cornwall's biodiversity and Africa's environmental story at the St Ives Society of Artists Crypt Gallery this May.

John Dyer is an official artist for EarthDay.org in the USA, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and the artist-in-residence for the Eden Project in Cornwall. He founded 'Last Chance to Paint', https://www.lastchancetopaint.com an NGO that connects children to the environment, wildlife and tribal culture using art. The organisation now has a reach of over 50,000 children around the world across 32 countries and is widely recognised as a leading creative environmental project for schools. John recently returned from Kenya, where he was working on the third Last Chance to Paint expedition. Hosted by the Born Free Foundation, he painted the Maasai tribe, the African savannah and wildlife and was allowed exclusive access to paint the very last two Northern White Rhino on Earth.

Artist John Dyer founded Last Chance to Paint in 2018 when 'Sudan' the last male Northern White Rhino passed away. The project champions the equality of tribal culture, biodiversity, wildlife and ethnobotany through creativity and highlights what we all stand to lose through climate change, habitat destruction and extinction events. The name is a twist on the Douglas Adams book 'Last Chance to See'. The late Douglas Adams said, "We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for lack of trying". Zoologist Mark Carwardine, who travelled with Douglas Adams to see endangered animals, gave his blessing for the Last Chance to Paint project to be founded.

"Painting the last Northern White Rhino was a profound experience and a huge challenge. I hope that many people will come to the exhibition to see the resulting painting as it is poignant and tells an important story that we must all learn from." John Dyer.

John Dyer is Cornwall's best-known contemporary artist with a career spanning over thirty years. His work is widely collected and hangs in public art galleries and many private collections around the work. Inspired from a young age to create art around the environment, this new exhibition will see the largest ever John Dyer painting on display featuring a Humpback Whale beneath the sea at St Michael's Mount.

"Cornwall is such a special place and environment, and we must celebrate and recognise that to protect it. My work is always a celebration of life." John Dyer

Joanne Short is Cornwall's leading colourist artist and an elected member of the Newlyn Society of Artists. She recently returned from Kenya with John, where she painted some stunning street scenes that will be on display. The artist's adventures in Kenya can be seen on https://www.lastchancetopaint.com, and schools are invited to sign up and run the project in their classes.

"If school classes in Cornwall wish to view the paintings in St Ives at the Crypt Gallery, they are very welcome; we would be delighted to talk to the children about the environment, the amazing fauna and flora of Cornwall and our adventures in Africa. Schools can contact The John Dyer Gallery to plan a visit. https://www.johndyergallery.com "

The public exhibition will include Kenyan paintings and significant Cornish works that celebrate Cornwall's biodiversity - from wildflowers to whales - it will be a must-see exhibition for locals and visitors alike.

John Dyer said about his upcoming exhibition: "I'm excited for my new exhibition with Joanne Short at the St Ives Society of Artists Crypt Gallery as we have created some colourful and large celebration paintings of Cornwall that we want people to see and enjoy."

Joanne Short added: "It's going to be a great show! Our paintings celebrate Cornish beauty and African culture, so we hope our visitors will enjoy seeing these two worlds come together."

Joanne Short is famous for her vibrant colourist oil paintings that capture the wildflowers and colours of Cornwall at their best. Having featured on the ITV TV series 'The Painted Garden,' she is recognised as one of her generation's leading garden and colourist paneers.

"I have loved painting this new collection and immersing myself in Cornwall's colours, places and plants." Joanne Short.

This exhibition will surely be memorable, filled with colourful works by two talented artists. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity - visit https://www.johndyergallery.com for more information.

John Dyer is also the artist in residence for this year's Tall Ships races in Falmouth, and his new official painting will be revealed to the public at the exhibition.

"I have been the artist in residence for the Tall Ships races every time they have been hosted in Falmouth, and I am honoured and excited to be involved again." John Dyer.

Tall Ships and Small Ships 2023 by John Dyer.jpeg

The John Dyer Gallery is putting on the exhibition and opens on May 13th from 6 pm to 8 pm and continues daily until the 19th May at the St Ives Society of Artists Crypt Gallery, Norway Square, St Ives, Cornwall.

ENDS.

More information available on request
Interviews with the artists available on request
High-resolution painting mages and photos available on request

Artist information:

John Dyer (b 1968)

"Imagine if all the colour, if all the shapes, if all the emotion, if all the fun, if all the joy and all the love you feel could be captured for a moment to remember for all time. This is the power of a painting. This is the power of a painting that captures what a place feels like." John Dyer

John Dyer is one of the UK's most exciting and postmodern plein-air painters. His work is collected internationally, and his paintings have been the subject of popular television programmes and a wide range of merchandise.

John's environmental work studying the ethnobotanical relationships of plants with the Eden Project has firmly placed his work at the forefront of contemporary art. He is one of the UK's best-known international environmental artists, having worked with leading scientific organisations across the globe.

"There is an innocence and freshness to John Dyer's art that follows a tradition in Cornwall that includes the paintings of Cornwall by Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood, Fred Yates and Bryan Pearce. Rather than trying to record what he sees, John sets out to capture the 'essence' of his subject. The 'essence' of seagulls, cats, dogs, bobbing boats, or exploding fireworks communicate far more strongly through John's brushstrokes than they would if drawn more traditionally. It is this ability to capture the 'essence' of what is important that seems to appeal to those who have shown great vision and originality in their own careers, such as Tim Smit, Alan Titchmarsh or Kim Wilde." Director of Falmouth Art Gallery

Quotes about artist John Dyer:

"John's work is pure painted joy. His pictures make you want to touch, squeeze & push your nose into flowers and breathe deeply. It's no surprise that his paintings are popular the world over. He touches on a very human need for light, pattern & colour. We sense in John's paintings the sheer human thrill of being alive.." SUE HILL - ART DIRECTOR EDEN PROJECT

"One of the UK's most exciting artists. It is rare to meet someone with the same appreciation of atmosphere, colour, texture and the magic that can be created in a garden, and in John we have found someone who understands exactly what we were trying to do. Looking at your garden through someone else's eyes is always interesting, but when the eyes belong to John Dyer, you hope that he will see something that allows him to use those vibrant colours on his palette." ALAN TITCHMARSH MBE

"Your fantastic paintings not only brought the apartment to life but also put the energy of the Riviera indoors!" TOYAH WILLCOX - ROCK STAR

"John Dyer is one of Britain's leading and best-known contemporary painters. Born in 1968, his work embraces colour and the 'Song of Life'." THE NATIONAL TRUST

"I have always had immense respect for anyone who chooses to take the time to interpret our world through painting, and I feel especially privileged to have hosted such an inspired artist in our back garden!" KIM WILDE - ROCK STAR

Joanne Short (b 1967)

Joanne Short continues to produce stunning colourist oil paintings of Cornwall. As one of the elite Newlyn Society of Artists, she has gained a considerable following over the past thirty years of exhibiting in Cornwall, London and Monaco.

"I like to think that my paintings reveal a moment of calm and tranquillity amidst a hectic world, something to remind us of our holidays and rare moments of relaxation."Joanne Short.

Joanne Short is one of Cornwall's most established artists & her paintings are truly unique in their style and construction. They bring us a strong but gentle view of her world and focus on the beauty, pattern and life that is found in the landscape. She featured in the ITV series 'The Painted Garden', and many collectors marvelled at how she confidently committed paint to her canvas en plein-air.

Joanne Short has thousands of collectors all over the world, and her work hangs in many important private art collections, including those of Toyah Willcox and Alan Titchmarsh MBE.

"They have that rare quality of being able to transport me to those magical Cornish places of holiday dreams, magical light and brilliant flowers." Alan Titchmarsh MBE

The John Dyer Gallery
Online Art Gallery
http://www.johndyergallery.com

Tel: 0777 339 7503 / 01326 735 016

The John Dyer Gallery, PO Box 285, Falmouth, Cornwall, UK. TR11 9AD

Discover our extraordinary new arts project for children with The Eden Project and The Born Free Foundation: https://www.lastchancetopaint.com

The John Dyer Gallery
Falmouth
Cornwall

Tel: 01326 735016
Email: sales@johndyergallery.com

The John Dyer Gallery was established in 2005 and has formed working relationships with the Eden Project, The National Trust, St Michael's Mount, Falmouth Art Gallery (who have a wonderful collection of art that includes paintings by Ted Dyer, John Dyer, Joanne Short, Henry Scott Tuke and Lee Miller), The National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Kids in Museums, The Arts Council, Born Free Foundation, Earth Day and many environmental organisations around the world.

This release was published on openPR.