Nature painter James Fotheringhame has an intense curiosity for the natural world, studying it both in the field and in the studio. A wide range of subjects sees him exploring coastal sea-life, the plants found in his gardens or the wildlife he encounters near his home in Warwickshire. His work is a striking combination of formal, representational painting and abstracted, gestural mark making. Detailed studies are contrasted with the raw surface of the canvas or broad washes of vivid colour as well as expressive drips and splashes of paint, the focus primarily on painting as a process and his experience in the studio with the work.
James is also a renowned garden designer and the gardens he creates fuel the inspiration to paint the flora and fauna that inhabit these spaces, satisfying a need to document his discoveries. Re-wilding former farm-land is another aspect of his work and he has noted the return of bird and insect species not seen in decades. James' paintings bring home to us the transcience and impermanence of nature, that however small, each creature or plant has a part to play.
James studied art at Nottingham Trent university and the Royal Academy of Art. He is currently a part time lecturer of painting at Warwickshire College, Leamington. James has exhibited at the Royal Academy and won several prizes for his work including The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition.