IT IS ten years since Martin Greenland's superb Delft-like oil painting, Before Vermeer’s Clouds, landed one of the art world's most illustrious awards - the John Moores Prize at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.

Even before that, the Windermere-based artist's otherworldly landscapes had turned heads and won him fans far and wide.

And quite right too.

To mark the tenth anniversary of his John Moores success, Martin is staging an exhibition at Cockermouth's Castlegate House Gallery, from Saturday, May 7, until May 28, one of the region's finest galleries specialising in the best of 20th Century and contemporary British art and owned since 2012 by Steve and Christine Swallow.

Steve said they met Martin two years ago and knew immediately that he was someone they we wanted to work with: "We've been talking to him ever since about holding an exhibition of his work at Castlegate House."

Born in Marsden in Yorkshire, Martin studied at Nelson and Colne College before heading to Exeter College of Art where he was awarded a first class honours degree in fine art. Of course, he's a member of the Lake Artists Society and his work has been exhibited all over the UK. One of his most prestigious commissions is of the rebuilt Paternoster Square, next to St Paul’s Cathedral in London, which was presented to the Lord Mayor of London and now graces the walks of the Mansion House.

Other accolades include twice winning prizes at the Discerning Eye competition at London's Mall Galleries.

The work that Martin will exhibit at Castlegate House will feature some of the landscapes he's found most inspirational in Cumbria, with 22 new works in the pipeline.

“There are two halves to the show, in a way,” explained Martin. “One part features paintings from Setmurthy forest and Elva Plain, near Cockermouth. In the other, the paintings are based on the areas of Lickbarrow and Cleabarrow, near where I live. They are both places I know really intimately.

“I got to know the Setmurthy area when I was teaching at Higham Hall. It is a working landscape but, naturally, it has unique and particular qualities which I strive to show. Lickbarrow and Cleabarrow are our immediate hinterland and are my heaven on earth. I'm keen to show the beauty, particularities and, perhaps, exoticism of these places.”

Martin is looking forward to seeing the responses of art lovers in Cumbria: “I rather like exhibiting close to home - people have a sympathy and interest in the landscapes,” he added.

“Some of the works are painted from direct observation, the rest are based on real landscapes, certainly as starting points but then they become improvised and invented places, which is how I generally work. It will be up to the viewer to make their own minds up which are which. I am always interested in hearing people’s reactions.

“Surrealism used to figure quite obviously in my work, as a way of expressing other meanings in the landscape. Now that surrealism has been pared back and yet objects as symbols and landscapes as metaphors still remain strong in my work.”

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