Nationality British Website www.gillick-artist.com | Name James Gillick Role Artist | |
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Born 1972 Norfolk Known for Figurative Oil Painting, Drawing, Church re-ordering Profiles | ||
James gillick
James Gillick (born 1972, Norfolk) is an artist working in the figurative tradition. He works from his studio in Louth, Lincolnshire. He paints still-lifes, including game paintings, portraits, horse paintings, as well as church (building) re-ordering and gilding.
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Life and work
Gillick gained a degree in Landscape Architecture from Cheltenham and Gloucester College in 1993. He is the son of social critic Victoria Gillick and theatre set designer Gordon Gillick. James has an identical twin, the sculptor Theodore Gillick. James is cousin to 2002 Turner prize nominee Liam Gillick, and his great uncle and aunt were the sculptor Ernest Gillick & medallionist Mary Gillick.
Using techniques that date back to the 17th century, Gillick handcrafts all the materials he uses within his studio; from the oil paints, waxes and glues, to the varnishes, canvases and stretchers. He uses a limited palette of six colours plus black & white, having prepared the oils from ground pigments.
In 1998 he won a commission to paint the Rt. Hon Baroness Thatcher. The three quarter length portrait was commissioned by the University of Buckingham to commemorate her six years as the chancellor of Britain’s only private university. Baroness Thatcher was, ‘absolutely delighted’ with her portrait and commented, ‘Can I thank the artist for doing the impossible – a kind portrait of me in a way I would like to be remembered.’ 2005 saw the completion of a portrait of Pope John Paul II commissioned by The Bishop of Nottingham, England, the Rt Rev. Malcolm McMahon, O.P. The portrait now hangs in the Lady Chapel at St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham and an identical copy tours the country’s parishes on request. Further commissions include the Most Rev. M. Couve de Murville, Archbishop of Birmingham in 1999.
An example of church restoration work by Gillick and his family can be seen at the church of St Gregory and St Augustine in Summertown, Oxford, the parish church where J. R. R. Tolkien was a parishioner. The work here includes a new reredos for which he has painted panels featuring the patron saints St Augustine, St Gregory and the Virgin and child, plus a further ten panels in a type of iconostasis.
Exhibitions
Gillick has exhibited at Jonathan Cooper’s Park Walk Gallery, London since 2000 and his work has been included in several mixed exhibitions including; Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters also at the Mall Galleries. His work is exhibited at art fairs including; Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair, BADA British Antiques and Fine Art Fair and the London Art Fair.
He exhibits annually at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the CLA Game Fair and the Burghley Horse Trials.