Press Release
The well known Scottish artist Derek Beggs will be opening his largest solo exhibition to date this September in Landsberg am Lech near which he lives and works. Derek has exhibited and sold his work worldwide and attracts clients from students to corporations and Los Angeles celebrities.
The exhibition, of over 110 Oil Paintings, Pastels, Sketches and sculptures shows the variety and broad range of his artworks. Derek’s work appeals to a broad audience and it is very important to him to make his art accessible to everyone of any age.
Especially in this year, the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s Birth, evolution is very much in the forefront of the media. This exhibition shows the evolution of the artists work from sketch to finished artwork as well as the many and varied creative paths his distinctive techniques and inspirations have explored.
Derek’s work is firmly based on nature and the natural world rather than mythical or spiritual themes, his landscape paintings and pastels in a variety of techniques show a love of light, texture and form. From the abstract “bee purple” a large oil painting which changes when ultraviolet light is applied, to the figurative “Henry” a carefully observed horse portrait. Throughout all of his works and changing styles, his colours, and expressiveness are ever apparent.
Derek’s work also tackles controversial subjects, the exhibition draws similarities between the development of creativity in the human race, his artwork, and the artists own individual development. Works such as “Ancestricide” which highlight the obvious dangers and contradictions of creationism, or “Dominion over all living things”, which encourages the viewer to question the omniscience of the biblical view that mankind was given dominance over all creatures, when in reality, viruses and bacteria have this honour. His intention with these works is not confrontational, rather it is an attempt to make people think rationally about conventional or traditionally held beliefs and make their own minds up.
As part of the exhibition, Derek will be auctioning for charity a painting signed by the football team TSV 1860, as well as holding a family day on Sunday 6th September with activities for children and fundraising activities for a local kindergarten.
On the night of Saturday 5th September, he will be holding an exclusive, invitation only event for celebrities, clients and owners of his work.
On, Wednesday 2. September, Derek will be holding an exclusive preview and press conference at the venue and will give a short talk about the show and will be available to answer questions about his work, his life and his art.
Quotations
“I love showing paintings to children, they are so honest. That’s why I like to invite them to my exhibitions, if I want an honest answer, without hope or agenda; I ask my five year old”
“it is difficult to group my work with a particular style or genre, my style changes depending on my mood, the medium or the inspiration and I certainly don’t go out of my way to paint in a particular way. What is constant however is my love of light and colours.”
“a single brushstroke can make a painting wonderful, a single realisation can make life the same”
“it is vitally important for me not to proclaim myself an ambassador for art, I am no different to anyone else. We, human mammals have an enormous capacity for creativity, everyone has it and mine just happens to come out through my art.”
“my art evolves in the same way we did, from the primordial soup of a sketchbook to the sentient and living painting.”
“art is just another way of seeing, whether abstract or figurative, symbolic or mythological, looking at the world from alternative views is healthy”
“Some people look at the world and want to see fairies, pink unicorns, angels and the hand of supernatural influence so much that they actually come to believe in their existence. I have a naturalistic worldview and find enough mystery, fantasy and inspiration in nature to last my own brief lifetime. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike creativity along those themes, in fact some of my favourite paintings would fall into the fantasy category, but just because there is a painting of it, or a book about it doesn’t mean I have to believe it exists too.”
“Creativity, to a greater or lesser extent exists in all of us, it may come out in writing, cooking gardening or in a visit to IKEA. It most certainly did not just suddenly appear in us, downloaded by some supernatural programmer, no, it developed slowly as our brains developed and like everything else in life, it is our choice and our choice alone whether we use it or not.”
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