BARRY PECKHAM B.1945 R.O.I., S.E.A., R.S.M.A., P.S.

Biography – Barry Peckham ROI, RSMA, PS.

Barry Peckham is proving to be a worthy successor to a notable line of New forest painters. He seems to have taken the strengths of these artists and used them to build his own style and character. Characteristics such as confident brushstrokes, hazy backgrounds and powerful sky’s combined with his understanding of horse movement and their anatomy can all be seen in Peckham’s work. His love of the forest with its vegetation and traditions liken him to the forest artists before him.

Peckham’s influences from period artists.

Amongst these artists are John Emms (1841-1912) an animal and sporting artist who painted riding, hunting and dog scenes. Arthur Batt (1846-1911) a Brockenhurst artist who started painting forest and rural views and then moved on to animal studies especially donkeys.

Similar to Peckham, Frederick Golden Short (1863-1936) a keen painter of woodland, open forest and occasional coastline scenes, traveled extensively across the forest to capture his scenes. Lucy Kemp-Welch (1869-1958) a talented horse painter preferred the natural horse to the thoroughbred which is also notable in Peckham’s landscape scenes.

Barry Peckham frequently visits the gallery, having been out to capture the sunrise in the forest or off to see the evening sun setting over the Solent. Sketching from life, Peckham’s extensive pallet is well suited to the Forest, Solent shoreline and estuaries.

Many equestrian painters paint more portrait style pictures but Barry Peckham’s are complete pictures with subject, background and foreground which are all given equal care and attention.

Barry Peckham’s Marine Paintings.

Peckham’s marine paintings which include ‘HMS Warrior entering Portsmouth Harbour’ and ‘The Royal Yacht Britannia and Valsheda at Cowes week’ show a great understanding of the wind, sea and sky making him worthy of his exhibits at the Royal Society of Marine Artists.

BarryPeckham seems to be constantly evolving, experimenting and refining his technique. An example of this is his revival of the technique of painting on linen used by the Glasgow Boys’ in Scotland in the 1890’s. Watercolour is worked into the weave which adds to the texture of the picture.

The majority of his work is associated with the New Forest and Solent shores but he seems equally at home, on his painting trips, with the big skies of Norfolk, the quay at St.Ives, Cornwall and the Yorkshire Dales to name a few.

Nationals exhibitions.

Full membership of the R.O.I., puts him within a group of some of the finest contemporary British artists of the day, while full membership of the Equestrian Society shows recognition of his horse compositions.

Terence Cuneo presented Peckham with the ëCuneo medal’ for equestrian painting, a true accolade from one of the 20th Century’s leading oil painters. His C.V illustrates he is doing all the right things to be remembered in the future and he is already noted in many reference books including Who’s Who in Art’.

We have sold his paintings to collectors in most continents, some buying on the quality of work alone others wanting to take a part of the New Forest with them.

Exhibited:

The Royal Academy
The Royal Society of Marine Artists
The Royal Institute of Oil Painters
The Pastel Society
The New English Art Club
The Royal West of England Academy

He is a full member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters (R.O.I.), Royal Society of Marine Artists (R.S.M.A.) and a Member of the Society of Equestrian Artists (S.E.A.)

His awards include:

1997 Best Drawing S.E.A
1996 Best Watercolour S.E.A.
1996 Best Racing Painting S.E.A.
1993 Best Oil Painting S.E.A
1990 The Pastel Prize S.E.A.
1990 The Champagne Mumm Best Marine Painting
1989 The Cuneo Medal S.E.A.
1989 The Crossgate Gallery Award S.E.A.
1985 The Royle Prize S.E.A.

Related Artists : John Emms, Frederick Golden Short and Albert Durer Lucas.

Barry Peckham artist painting of Yachts off Hurst Castle