Harrogate Springtime

As a professional self-taught artist, the study of light, movement and atmosphere are among a few of the essential requirements Chris Sheldrake needs to depict and create an expression of our changing world. He likes to think his work is characterised by applying these elements, and exaggerating the subject a little to affect a distinctive style. Applying these changes to everyday situations, and allowing himself to use a little imagination provides Chris with the opportunity to try and create a visual impact! Chris Sheldrake’s motivation is driven by conveying to the viewer a “WOW” factor, hoping the viewer is enticed to use their imagination and search for the illusive reality in his paintings. Chris tries to search out unusual scenes having been lucky enough to have travelled around the world. Working mainly from sketches and photographs, Chris paints mostly from his studio. He paints on fairly large surfaces using oil, acrylic and watercolour. His portfolio consists of nearly 300 paintings. Chris believes that his style is somewhere in-between realism and surrealism, in which he has tried to apply to city, town and landscapes. Chris has travelled around the world and has taken many pictures that he works from, however he has mainly lived in Harrogate and Knaresborough in which he has taken much of his inspiration from and has painted on several occasions.