Gleb Goloubetski

SOLO EXHIBITION AUTUMN 2010

18TH OCTOBER - 14TH NOVEMBER 2010

Born in Omsk in the former Soviet Union in 1975, Gleb Goloubetski displayed noticeable artistic talent and a keen interest in the arts from an early age. His initial tutorage and inspiration came from his late father, who achieved success as a painter in his own right and who actively encouraged Gleb to paint.

Gleb’s formal training came from his studies at the highly acclaimed academy in St Petersburg where his work attracted much attention. He maintains a close relationship with both the academy and his former professor.

Gleb’s inspiration comes primarily from the aged architecture and geography of Europe; he has a special association with the United Kingdom, the Mediterranean and more recently with the Far East. He travels extensively looking for images to paint. When he finds a view that inspires him, Gleb will sit and absorb it for some time, paying particular attention to how the natural light conditions of the day influence his perspective and moreover his emotional response.

Returning to his studio in either St Petersburg or Prague, Gleb will sit and consider his reference material. Reminding himself of scale, he then begins to paint. It is Gleb’s emotional response to the subject that he conveys to canvas, in oil, with his palette knife.

Curator Graham Powell comments, “Goloubetski is an exceptionally talented artist, his ability to lay emotion onto canvas is a marvel to behold. It remains a thrill to present his work at my London gallery.”

Gleb’s work has an ever increasing international following and is presented in London exclusively by Graham Fine Art.

Rolf Harris CBE AM

A LIFE IN ART

NATIONAL EXHIBITION TOUR 2010

Leaving Australia at the age of 22, Rolf moved to London on what was supposed to be a year's study leave. He enrolled at the City & Guilds Art School in London, wanting to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a portrait painter.

A chance meeting at Earl's Court tube station with Australian impressionist painter 'Bill' Hayward Veal changed his life. By complete chance Veal was running an art course at the time, which although Rolf couldn't afford, he went along to anyway. “In this class I tried to impress him with paints and board, but Bill gave me a stretch of canvas and told me to set up some bottles and other items in the corner. He gave me a rag, brush, turpentine and burnt sienna and told me to see how little paint I could use and keep correcting my work with the rag. I had to try and paint the whole picture at the time rather than isolate individual parts. I still do this now, starting off very rough and rugged and then refining later.”

Rolf's BBC television programme Rolf on Art attracted massive viewing figures, gaining the highest ratings ever for a programme on the visual arts in the history of British television. In 2002 Rolf received one of the greatest honours possible for any artist when the bulk of his work from the first two series of Rolf on Art, were exhibited for a month at the National Gallery in London.

In 2007 Rolf was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire), he is a member of the Order of Australia and has won many awards for his work in the entertainment industry. Recently he was made an honorary member of the Royal Society of British Artists.

Rolf has earned the reputation of being one of the most significant figurative painters of our time and his work is a living testimony to his artistic brilliance.

Rolf's paintings form an integral part of many significant international collections.