Biography

Statement

Jim Wright’s work is an emotional response to his experiences in the more remote areas of the moors, mountains and coastline of Northern Britain, feeling the powerful forces of nature is particularly exhilarating and important in his work.

The quality of the light is the distinctive element in his landscapes, his work predominantly focuses towards the light source, this catches the brilliance of the light reflected off the land, and the diffusion of light through the atmosphere, The softness of this light, set against the deep shadows of the land, (cast when the sun is at it’s lowest) is just one use of contrast, that gives his work its characteristic strength. He has established a reputation for landscapes of The North York Moors National Park, where he now lives, he also spends time in The Lake District and Scotland where the mountains and weather conditions combine to create breathtaking drama.

Jim Wright’s move from Manchester also rekindled his love of the sea, with more and more time spent along the North East coastline. As a throw back to his youth in Western Australia, he has never lost his enthusiasm for surfing, he loves to watch the shape and form of the wave, the change of colour and the force of the movement of water. This passion for the sea can be keenly felt in his series of semi abstract wave paintings, which portray the movement and explosive power of the water. He uses various media to bring contrast to his work; the oils, acrylics, and mixed media are often used in pieces, inspired by the raw energy of the sea and the moors, whereas the pastels, (often laid over thin layers of oils) are his preferred choice to capture a soft diffusing light, creating a more moody atmosphere.

Music has always been a principal part of his life, he spends much of his leisure time creating and performing music, whilst listening to music is essential for the progression of his work.

Curriculum Vitae: Jim Wright

1954 James Miller Wright, born 23rd October in Bannockburn, Scotland.
1967 Family emigrated to Perth, Western Australia.
1970-73 Perth College of Art and Design, Western Australia. Diploma in Art and Design.
1978 Returned to Scotland.
1979-98 Employed in commercial art and audio visual industry in London and Manchester.
1999 Moved to North Yorkshire, began painting landscapes and seascapes.
2007-8 Member of Leeds Fine Art Club

Awards

2010 Runner up in the Dover Prize Competition ‘Atmosphere and Emotion’ for Northern artists.
2006 Haworth Art Gallery, Open exhibition ‘The Four Elements’. Voted
‘the people’s choice’.
2000 Highly Commended Laing Landscape and Seascape exhibition.
1991 Audio Visual award for best illustrations on the programme ‘Jersey Zoo’.

Solo Exhibitions

Hield Gallery, Ripon. 2009.
Percy House, Cumbria. 2007.
Bianco Nero, Stokesley. 2007.
Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk. 2002, 2006.
The Pannett Art Gallery, Whitby. 2000, 2002, 2006.
Helmsley Arts Centre, North Yorkshire. 1999, 2001, 2005.
Ingleby Gallery, Derby. 2001,2003, 2005 2010.
Blyth Gallery, Manchester. 2003.
Nunnington Hall, North Yorkshire. 1999, 2001.
Sewerby Hall, East Riding. 2000.
Benningbrough Hall, York. 2000.
Darlington Art Gallery. 2000.

Group Shows

The Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate. 2009
Fi Fie Fo Fum Gallery, Northumberland , Summer exhibition 2009
Bianco Nero Gallery, Stokesley, 2009
Zillah Bell Gallery, Thirsk,2009
Artspace. The Barn Galleries, Henley on Thames. 2008
The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle. Spring Summer and Autumn 2008. Autumn 2009. Summer 2011
Scarborough Art Gallery, East Coast, Selected Open Exhibition. 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008.2010
Newcastle and Gateshead Art Fair (Grosmont Gallery). 2007. Bianco Nero Gallery 2008
Ferens Gallery, Hull, Selected Open Exhibition. 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011
UK Art for Youth (North), North Yorkshire.2007, 2009, 2010.
North Yorkshire Selected Open Studios. 2005, 2006, 2007. 2009
Haworth Art Gallery (Lancashire) Selected Open Exhibition. 2006.
Arts Mill Selected Open exhibition. Hebdon Bridge. 2006, 2007.
Great North Art Show, Ripon. 2006, 2007,2008.
Host ’06 North Light. Huddersfield. 2006.
Artexny, Castle Howard. 2006,2008.
‘Blues on the Moors’ Grosmont Art Gallery. Selected artists. 2005.
‘The North York Moors’ Invited Artists. Scarborough Art Gallery. 2001.
Laing Art Exhibition. Stockport Art Gallery and Mall Galleries. 2000.
Invited Artists Exhibition, Billingham Art Gallery. 1999.

Since his move to fine art in 1998, Jim Wright has become an established landscape and seascape artist in North Yorkshire, and in the past two years, he has continued to build on this reputation with work now selling in galleries across Northern England and Scotland.