Moorland Sky by Tim Garner

Moorland Sky by Tim Garner
Moorland Sky by Tim Garner

Tim Garner's 'Moorland Sky' presents to us a seething sky above a murky abstraction of land and water. It's as though someone has angered the gods up on the moors above Manchester - make sure you take cover, there's a storm ahead...

Tim Garner's 'Moorland Sky' presents to us a breath of fresh air amongst Garner's oeuvre of cityscape paintings. With no man-made structures in sight, we are placed within the natural elements; a seething sky looms over a murky abstraction of land and water. It's as though someone has angered the gods up on the moors above Manchester - yellow and cool blue hues suggest a storm is upon us. This piece is an Artzu exclusive; it is the only sky painting by Garner in our collection. Garner is renowned for these signature sky paintings, which are made using a formula of cement, ash and a rigorous layering process of iridescent and acrylic pigments. Here, the sky is brooding and heavy, as though rain could gush down at any minute. Garner has a distinctive way of capturing both the tension and the airiness of these skies; and of turning something evolving and transient into something tangible on canvas. With a view of Peak District from his home studio in Stockport, Garner is always looking to the sky for inspiration - he is fascinated by the constant movement of the sky and the clouds, which is reflected in his dynamic, visceral compositions. “Clouds are very dynamic – they’re changing every second” The more we look at this piece, the more we see - it's a piece we can truly get lost in. There are compositional elements that guide the eye, drawing us around, in and out the painting, pushing us to analyse every element. Garner is known for exploring various visual languages and devices within his work, but without being too formulaic. His works have a distinctive way of appropriating the physicality of his surroundings - to Garner, painting is an extension of what's around him, both physical and metaphysical; it is vital that his works reflect this. Through a formula of of industrial materials such as metals and cement, Garner is able to emulate this tactile physicality, paired with a colour palette of metallics and iridescent paints to imbue texture, light and depth. His large scale compositions are full of vigour and movement - they demand our time and attention, and reveal more to their viewer as time goes by. Any piece from Garner's collection would make a worthwhile investment.

Based in his home studio in Stockport, Tim Garner is an artist who captures cityscapes through his own avant-garde lens. Inspired from his time living between Manchester and Paris, Garner works from photography and photo collage as his primary references, taking advantage of their visual immediacy and accuracy. Paint and cement are then used as a way of injecting emotive layers of meaning, forming Garner's distinctive style and flair. Through this process Garner has established his own visual language, which is imbued with character. His works are comfortingly familiar to a Northern audience, whilst enlightening and educating wider audiences. A piece of Mancunian history, this artwork would be a valuable asset for any contemporary art space, collection or home.