A NEW thought-provoking exhibition of religious oil paintings and drawings is being held in Wilmslow.
Artist Rob Floyd presents ‘Reconciliation’ at St Bartholomew’s Church on Cliff Road from September 2 to 28.
Admission is free.
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This figurative artist from Wilmslow works primarily in oils, both on canvas and board, as well as producing graphic pieces in pencils, gouache, pen and ink and charcoal on paper.
Rob has been exhibiting work in galleries and spiritual spaces for many years as well as accepting commissions from churches, cathedrals and private portraits.
This exhibition consists of eight paintings and seven drawings created over the past year.
All the images feature Christian saints and figures from the New Testament but there is also a connecting theme of achieved harmony and, as the title of the exhibition suggests, reconciliation.
The show’s centrepiece is the depiction of St Francis and the wolf of Gubbio.
Rob, 49, said: “This is a story which resonates deeply with me as I feel it represents an attempt to confront, come to terms with and assimilate the darker impulses that lay within us all.
“Rather than attacking the wolf with sword and spear as the residents of Gubbio had already unsuccessfully done, St Francis approaches him unarmed and addresses him as ‘brother wolf’.
“He is acknowledged and brought out into the light and a ‘deal’ is reached where the beast and townsfolk can live in harmony with each other.
“I think St Francis is genuinely relevant and has a lot to say to people on a spiritual journey in these times.
“His message and especially the wolf of Gubbio story has even further reaching resonances, particularly in how we look at and treat our environment and fellow creatures.
“Making the painting also led to a great adventure at the Manchester Museum where we were able to pose a model alongside one of their stuffed wolves which was quite an experience!”
This exhibition also features life sized depictions of St Paul the Hermit, St Augustine and the Woman of Samaria.
Rob studied art at the University of Hertfordshire and Sunderland, where he gained a BA (Hons) in fine art in 1997.
His pieces range from portraiture and large scale religious work to landscapes, particularly skyscapes, and still lives.
Rob has painted 18 life sized canvases featuring Stations of the Cross for Manchester Cathedral and 17 canvases of Stations of the Resurrection at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.
His ‘Self Portrait Facing ‘Artist’s Block’’ won the Gordon Hulson Memorial Prize at the Royal Society of British Artists Open Exhibition in 2015.
He has also painted an oil on canvas of St Bartholomew, now permanently hanging in the church hosting his current display.
The preview of his new exhibition is on Sunday, September 1, from 6pm to 8pm, and all are welcome.
The show then continues during church opening hours until Saturday, September 28.
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