Jonathan needs little introduction, with his paintings gracing the nearby inns to be enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. His paintings are ever-inclusive, of us, the viewer, the walker, the climber, the runner, the mountain biker. They’re not divorced from the landscape, instead drawing us into his world, into his paintings, anchoring our view point by way of characters in the land, much as did the likes of Claude Lorrain and Poussin.
"This exhibition seems to be showing the way my painting is evolving, it’s not simply about the landscape, moreover it’s about us, you, me, and how we interact with our landscape. ‘The Wanderer & His Shadow’ is an eight month reappraisal of “what my paintings need to show, how we enjoy the mountains, how important they are to me and so many others.” - Jonathan Trotman
Since finishing his degree in fine art at Falmouth School of Art and spending some time in Edinburgh, Jonathan moved to Cumbria and the Lake District in 1994 and has been living, painting, climbing and learning the fells ever since.
Jonathan’s work is predominantly landscape based, concentrating on the fells around his north Lakeland home plus other areas visited including the Scottish and Welsh mountains.
Exploring the landscape on foot and bike, collecting sketches and taking photographs along his journeys, these are then used to produce his paintings back in the studio. Colour and light are important to Jonathan, “...the mountains can change from one second to the next and these fleeting changes often lift the whole landscape, so some of my art is trying to capture these special moments”.
Figures are often, but not always, present in Jonathan’s work as he, "...feel(s) they can add a sense of scale and connection. Sometimes they are a small part of the painting and at other times the main focus.
Further adding that, “It is clear that the abstract qualities of the paint are as relevant to me as the representation of the original image and the enjoyment/energy/struggle of the paint and process can show through. I like to keep an element of experimentation and chance when working to keep my paintings fresh. My paintings are constantly changing and this is important”.
Usually employing either oil on canvas or acrylic on paper with the addition of other materials like oil pastels, charcoal or pencil as the need arises, Jonatahan feels that, “I don’t like to feel too restricted by traditional techniques and I use a mixture of brushes and pallet knives to apply the paint and use a variety of things to scrape into the wet paint and move it around. I hope you enjoy my paintings.”