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