Shaun Wilkinson opened his exhibition at the Church Street HIVE gallery, the evening of 19th June 2025. Skipping dinner, David Simper caught the service 61 bus to town to view this fine display.
Shaun’s work is of that quality bracket that after viewing, one wonders whether it’s worth continuing with one’s paltry efforts (see my Instagram for my latest inadequate daub). I’m not a massive fan of abstract art, but these are masterful; not all are entirely abstract, such as the example above.
The pieces above show that, while the work might be described as abstract, they are carefully structured. Colour is restrained and yet saturated, the palette carefully selected and never garish. Materials are laid on thick, to the extent that some pieces have a sub-three D effect. There is a lot of variety here; the smaller pieces arrayed on the widow sill have an equal validity to the large paintings on the wall. I do like the spontaneity of the drip effect that is often used.
Shaun describes himself as a multi-media artist, aiming his work to be an interaction between artist and viewer. He was born in Blackpool in 1976, the year of the big drought. This is his first solo exhibition and he regards it as a significant milestone. Shaun began to take art seriously in his adult years, producing fantastic and complex ink work. From there he adopted acrylic on canvas as a primary medium.
This work is focused on freedom of material, interpretation and expectation. Shaun’s aphantasia gives him spontaneity and freedom of expression. He uses a great variety of materials and aims to be as sustainable as possible. None of the pieces are named, which Shaun feels would come between the viewer and their personal relationship with the piece.
I managed to catch Shaun for a chat, exploring the nature and meaning of his work.
An easy one to start, which artist is a favourite and has the most influence over your work?
A lot of people ask me that and I don’t actually have a favourite. I try not to look at other people’s art too much as I don’t want to take their ideas subconsciously. I want my work to be from me; I don’t want it to be taking bits from other people. If you had to pin me down, I would say Kandinsky.
Your pieces are described as mixed media, which are the media that you are mixing?
Mainly acrylic, but also ink, paper, varnish, glue; whatever I find that I can put in in that moment. The way I paint is with freedom and I don’t know what I’m going to be doing until I do it. Whatever comes to hand will end up on the canvas in a painting. But the base is mainly acrylic; eveything else kind of, happens.
I note something of an impasto technique in several of the works; how is this achieved?
I just keep building layers on top of one another until the painting tells me it’s done, to be honest. Layers and layers of wet paint, then varnish, glue, ant spray; I’ll set fire to them. There are two paintings over there; it was one piece, I wanted the paint to be burnt and ended up setting fire to the whole middle of it: and so they became two separate pieces.
Quite a few of the pieces have a drip effect; is this real, or has it been painted?
It’s drip work, yes. Etched in, scratched in: most of what I do is not done with brushes, but with other implements.
I say, so you go in the studio, you’re feeling creative so do you go in with just a little germ of an idea, or a complete blank slate?
I don’t have any ideas for anything, whatever happens happens.” I note that despite what Shaun is saying, his pieces are very structured, for instance a very brightly coloured painting featuring an area of chequerboard. “I drew that out in pencil and it developed into what you can see: it was drawn on metal with pen and scratched in afterwards.
How does Shaun see his art developing?
I would like to make my art in as many ways as I can. I’d like it to take over my art properly, not just when I can: I want to go big, basically. I’ve got some projects in mind, working with people who make clothing; they would like to make some wearable art: they want me to paint the material that’s then made up into garments. I’d like to get into more galleries and get my name out there.
All best fortune to Shaun as he moves his art forward.
After chatting to friends for a while, I took another spin round the gallery and then caught the service 6 bus home. Thanks as ever to the HIVE cafe team, for snack and drinkies management. The exhibition will be available to view at the HIVEArts gallery until 1st July 2025.
Show Comments (0)