Andrew dobbie
"I paint pictures that seek to explore how we make visual sense of the physical world around us.
My work starts with observation from life during which I produce large, loose sketches of people, objects and places. These act as a record of the colours, values and shapes that most interest me. In particular, I am seeking examples that highlight our ability to observe the varied and confusing effects of light striking different surfaces and planes and, yet, still interpret them as forms in space."
"My objective is to achieve a point of balance between figuration and abstraction, such that the painting oscillates in the eyes of the viewer between the portrayal of recognisable objects in a believable visual arena, and the undeniable flatness that is the result of the act of painting on a picture surface; between truth and lie.
Andrew Dobbie is a full-time professional artist living and working in Trearddur Bay on Anglesey. Andrew began his artistic career studying at Coleg Normal in Bangor. While there he was taught drawing by Peter Prendergast and sculpture by Paul Davies. Despite being tempted to pursue sculpture more fully, Andrew opted to pursue a degree in Industrial Design and Production at the Central School of Art and Design in London.
Andrew starts by sketching and painting his subject manner in real time before returning to his studio for his final reinterpretation. His work treads a fine line between figuration and abstraction using shapes and color relationships in both bold and delicate configurations. With his love for sculpture, Andrew likes to highlight and undermine the contradictions inherent in depicting three dimensional objects on a two-dimensional picture plane. He uses the sculptural aspect of the human figure in space to explore how we perceive and portray ‘flatness’ versus ‘depth’, ‘object’ versus ‘ground’ and ‘what is’ versus ‘what is not’.
Andrew has sold his work locally and in galleries. Some of his work is being held in private and/or corporate collections in the UK, Malta, the USA, and Australia. More recently he has had work accepted into the 2019 and 2020 Royal Conwy Academy Open Exhibitions. The RCA was constituted by Queen Victoria in 1881 and is currently honored to have HRH Prince of Wales as Patron and Honorary Artist Member of the Royal Cambrian Academy. In March 2018, he was accepted to his first Anglesey Arts Week, and in November 2019, the Chester Arts Exhibition. His work was also selected to the Kyffin Williams Drawing Prize exhibitions in 2012 and 2018.
Andrew takes his inspiration from artists of all eras and movements but especially from Post Impressionism onwards, particularly Cubism. His artistic heroes include Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and David Hockney.