CGCalthrop. B.Eng

Chris Calthrop, was born in Singapore, raised in Africa and educated in Mechanical Engineering in London. A keen sailor,
Chris, based in Whitstable, Kent, was first inspired into painting by the same rich, red and violet sunsets of the locale that inspired
the likes of Turner in his day.

With a mixed background of surfing, photography and aviation, his capacity for oil painting went unrealised until he picked up
a paintbrush in his thirties.  His very first works, 'Monet's Water-Lily Pond' and the double portrait 'Eileen and Dick',
can be seen in Gallery 2.
Over the years Chris has developed his painting through studies and followings of Monet, Jacob van Ruisdael and Turner.
He enjoy's painting both in studio and out, en plein air on his sailboat. He uses only pure pigments based in safflower oil by Sennelier.

Inspired by Jan Van Eyck's representation of light, the landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael and the seascapes
of Turner and Jan van de Cappelle, Chris's passion is in representing energy and light with original oils and pigments:
"I love painting waves and water.. it's the energy in every element of water... 
 suspended for a moment in time... holding the light..... holding the energy"

For direction, Chris refers back to these written words of Claude Monet:
"Paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it
gives you your own naïve impression of the scene before you".

Chris's fresh background paradoxically draws comparisons with self taught artists of pre-photographic
 eras. This all the more so because he chooses to use only those premium original pigments developed
by those pioneers. This makes it particularly fascinating to view and own his progression of works.

Prints, Originals and Commissions are available upon request.
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"Striving to paint only the truth that is there all around us in
God's intricate world.. with humble human eyes and hands"
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