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Bryan Day is a Yorkshire born artist whose beautiful pieces capture his favourite locations and memories in a semi abstract way and now, in his 93rd year, is still painting – well, ‘‘most days’’ he confesses.
Fundamentally a landscape artist, Bryans scenes are many and varied. Asked how many works he has, he replied “around 800 or 900, Ive lost count”. He paints in both oils and watercolours.
Bryan was born in Maltby and brought up in Tickhill, South Yorkshire in the 1930’s and points out “there wasn’t many artists in Maltby in those days”. He started drawing at school and found he ‘had a bit of a talent for it’ but the headmaster at the time had no particular interest in art and rebuffed any thoughts about attending an art college.
He continued with his drawings throughout his army conscription and with access to better equipment he turned his hand to paint. Bryan's first medium was oil on canvas or board and he explains his style was to apply and scrape away layer upon layer of oil paint and colour would be dragged over more colour and a rough texture would emerge – continually changing the character of the canvass until the final effect was reached.
It was moving to Cumbria at the age of 25 for work with the Fire Service that he started to paint seriously and eventually went to Carlisle College of Art. He went on to have solo exhibitions in the area, with one particular exhibition of his work at Cockermouth's Norham House gallery, selling a number of his works.
As Bryan's career progressed, he was becoming increasingly well known in the area. "I even got to show my work at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, only sold one piece but it was a highlight" he remembers. "People used to
come to the house and ask to look at my work’" he adds.
He found Cumbria and the surrounding areas with its mountains and water so inspiring: "I believe a painting must have a life of its own, distinct from the real world" he explains.
In a single painting he seeks to portray not a locality, but to sum up his consciousness of nature. He paints as he sees it. An art critic from Kirkcudbright says "Bryan doesn’t make the scene special by the virtue of his art, rather his art makes you aware that the scene is special."
Bryan cites Cumbrian Artist Sheila Fell (1931-1979) and there are similarities in their work. Asked where his inspiration comes from, he tells me: "I start with a shape, add colour, withdraw colour, add more colour until my thoughts start to take form".
Aged 57 Bryan retired and eventually moved to Spain where he says he discovered the mediterranean landscape introduced a lighter touch to his work and a more direct approach than changing, often accidental, interpretation of the oil paintings done in the past.
As a painter, he subsequently discovered the medium of watercolour would enable him to capture atmosphere and topography of a particular subject or location, especially the movement of water. Bryan also staged a large, successful exhibition while in Spain.
Bryan returned to his Tickhill roots a few years ago, but points out that most of his life has been spent away from South Yorkshire, so as a painter in his home county he is practically unknown.
He continues to paint most days from a small studio at home, mainly due to the constraints forced by nature of the climate and his advancing years. He still travels occasionally, painting plen-air capturing the hills, mountains and waters that have inspired him his whole life.
As a nonagenarian, Bryan’s work is now developing a more abstract quality.
He has recently had several solo local exhibitions, showing pieces from his impressive past and present collection and hopes to continue exhibiting for as long as he can.
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