Description

The artist Mark Hearld finds his inspiration in the flora and fauna of the British countryside: a blue-eyed jay perched on an oak branch; two hares enjoying the spoils of an allotment; a mute swan standing at the frozen water’s edge; and a sleek red fox prowling the fields. Hearld admires such twentieth-century artists as Edward Bawden, John Piper, Eric Ravilious and Enid Marx, and, like them, he chooses to work in a range of media – paint, print, collage, textiles and ceramics. Workbook is the first collection of Hearld’s beguiling art. The works are grouped into nature-related themes introduced by Hearld, who narrates the story behind some of his creations and discusses his influences. He explains his particular love of collage, which he favours for its graphic quality and potential for strong composition. Art historian Simon Martin contributes an essay on Hearld’s place in the English popular-art tradition, and also meets Hearld in his museum-like home to explore the artist’s passion for collecting objects, his working methods and his startling ability to view the wonders of the natural world as if through a child’s eyes.

Publisher Review

'Mr Hearld's talent is for locating wonder in the determinedly ordinary.' - COUNTRY LIFE MAGAZINE '... reveals the stories behind his career and his creations' - YORKSHIRE POST ' ... takes us into Mark's home and explores his passion for collecting objects' - HOMES AND ANTIQUES '... with inspiration drawn from Stubbs and Samuel Palmer, the poetry of Blake and William Morris's pattern design. The result is an identifiably 'English' idiom, here wonderfully brought to life in this handsome book' - COUNTRY LIFE 'Anyone and everyone can love the art of Mark Hearld' - YORK PRESS 'A fascinating book - beautifully bound and the quality of it's pages speak of the riches to come - An amazing account of Mark's prolific and artistic outpourings.' - FISHINK BLOG 'Whether you are a fan of Hearld's work or discovering it for the first time, this book is a treat simply to flip through and will appeal to children and adults alike.' - MONSTERS & CRITICS