South Park Fine Art Gallery

Brian Jull

Born and raised in the historic Naval centre of Greenwich, London, the sea and the Admiralty have been a major influence on Brian Jull?s life and career. The youngest child in a family of five, Jull?s home life was content and happy. His father worked as a skipper on the river Thames, and would often return home with fanciful tales about the river and the sea beyond. The young Jull became fascinated. At 18, Jull left the family home and joined the merchant Navy. He travelled throughout Europe and the Far East. Having met and married his wife during this time Jull decided that after three years of life on the sea, he would settle down and have a family.

With no formal training Jull decided to take up painting. He revisited the collections in The Maritime Museum in his hometown and became convinced that he wanted to paint.

Turner, the English master greatly influenced Jull?s early style of painting. Turner?s dynamic use of paint, used to capture the light and scale of a sea storm and the subject, that is abstracted and almost unrecognisable, were the starting point for Jull. He travelled to coastal towns of Sussex and East Anglia, to paint the soft grey light of the sea as it met the land. Weather and coastal sea storms were depicted with bold washes of colour. Light and contrast became the key components to these pictures and studies.

As his confidence grew as a painter, Jull began to experiment with a more impressionistic style of painting. He travelled to Paris and Giverny to study the 19th Century masters Monet, Seurat, Renoir. He echoed these masters by painting scenes ?in situ?. The light and atmosphere of the French countryside was captured in small quick brushstrokes. Dappled colour depicted the frequently changing light over a period of time. Over time, Jull mastered the art of depicting contrasting light in nature and the countryside. Through his admiration for Seurat, Jull?s paintings have evolved to become interpretations of leisurely pursuits. He is still occupied by light and contrast but his works are now infused with gentle past times; walks in the park, a morning caf?, and a continental vegetable market at dawn.

Jull says: ?For a long time I painted the English coastlines and villages in Suffolk. This was often with blue, grey washes and a soft light emanated from the canvas. Since travelling to Europe, in particular France and Italy, I have been fascinated by the difference in light and sunshine. The effect that this has on colours and their juxtapositions is incredible. It has given me enough sources for painting as I could ever hope for. The possibilities are endless.?