Painting the Thames

For his new collection of paintings, Andrew Hood returns to London, following the Thames along the Southbank from Westminster to London Bridge.

Three Bridges Across the Thames, 120 x 85cm, Oil

Experimentation is at the core of these new works; detail gives way to more gestural marks, control is replaced by chance and the hustle and bustle along the riverbank is suggested rather than described. The paintings capture the essence of London, tapping into a more visceral experience of the city and appealing to all the senses.

Photo courtesy of Alice Hendy

Several of Andrew’s new pieces use the roof of the Mondrian Containers Building as their starting point; from here there are extensive views from East to West along the Thames, which inspired him to produce three large paintings of the bridges that span the river.

Andrew’s bold compositions echo the way the Thames sweeps through the capital, cutting across the noise and commotion of the city. It is this contrast between the quiet power of the river and the buzz of human activity that continues to draw Andrew back to the Thames time and again.

Sunset Over London, 125 x 85cm, Oil

Boats at Waterloo, 70 x 50cm, Oil

Andrew was also able to get a great view of the river beneath St Pauls, which led to the piece 'London Skyline with St Pauls'. There are also several new smaller paintings in the collection looking towards Waterloo and Westminster from the vantage point of the London Eye, and alongside these works Andrew has created numerous drawings using ink, oil and barge paint, which he has developed into studies in oil and bitumen before working them up into the final paintings.

London Skyline with St Pauls, 110 x 105cm, Oil

The full collection of Andrew’s new paintings will be available at the Affordable Art Fair in Battersea (8 – 11 March) with First Contemporary on stand A9.