Wirral Arts: Gallery showing two artists with different styles to landscape paintings

Jan 9 2013 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

A WIRRAL gallery is showing two artists who apply very different styles to landscape paintings.

Artists Ron Dipple and David Shiers are both exhibiting their work at Dee Fine Arts, in Heswall, all this month.

Ron Dipple was a pupil at Liverpool Art School. Since the early 1970s, he has been painting scenes of Liverpool and Wirral villages in watercolour.

His paintings show highly detailed studies of Liverpool Waterfront and Venice, demonstrating intricate, fine brushwork.

He also has a number of large acrylic paintings on box canvas on display.

Ron, 68, from Higher Bebington, said: “I have always painted since I was a child. I usually work with watercolours but since this year I have started using acrylics on large canvas. It is great to work with because it dries fast, I'm getting used to it.

“Each painting takes a couple of weeks to complete to take in all the fine detail.

“Buildings and water inspire me so I enjoy painting the Albert Dock and River Mersey, as well as around Thornton Hough and Brimstage which are not far away.”

David, from Thingwall, focuses on atmospheric landscapes and cityscapes. He applies watercolour and oil paints in an expressive, gestural style.

His working process is based on a series of Plein Air watercolour sketches and digital photographs, which he then takes back to his studio to use as reference material for the finished painting.

He is a member of the Wirral Society of Arts at Williamson Art Gallery.

David, 67, who was a graphic designer at JC Moores, added: “I have been an artist all my life and went full-time when I retired eight years ago.

“I work with mainly oils and watercolours and I have around 40 paintings on display.

“I always carry an artist journal to sketch in and then I create paintings from there.

“Sunset over the Estuary is based on a scene by Hilbre Island.”

Gallery owner Sue Webster said: “Stylistically, Ron and David’s paintings are poles apart. It is fascinating to see the genre of landscape approached so differently.”