Marion Bayliss and Kevin Eccles to showcase their work at ArtHouse

Marion Bayliss - Crosby Beach

An exciting new joint show by first time solo exhibitors, Marion Bayliss and Kevin Eccles, will open at the ArtHouse in Southport this month. Centered around the theme of ‘My Journey’, their work although independently created, will combine early and recent artwork that demonstrates their artistic voyage and how they arrived at their distinctive conclusions. Having moved to Lancashire two years ago, Marion Bayliss is still finding stimulation from her recent relocation: “I am thoroughly enjoying being in a new environment and am taking inspiration from my exciting new surroundings.”

In particular, Marion has an affinity with water that she can trace back to her childhood in Somerset: “My journey with water started when I was a very young child of seven and my father (an ex-Water Polo player) taught me how to swim. "Since then, I have always had a connection with water through swimming and being constantly surrounded by water in rivers, ponds, etc and of course the sea.”

Marion has journeyed further afield in her search for creative inspiration: “I have often visited Devon and Cornwall to paint the sea and could be found sat on the beach with the sand in my toes, hair and paint trying to capture the atmosphere. It has been known that I will sometimes recreate the same scene two or maybe three times before I feel completely happy with the effects of trying different styles.”

Marion investigative nature also extends to the methods she uses to generate her art: “The media I like to use mostly are acrylics but I tend to use the medium that I feel will fulfil the effect that I want so it could be anything from watercolour pencils to oils and anything in between. Lately, I have tried to experiment more with different methods of working such as abstract and collage which I have found very interesting, fun and loosening in my working routines.”

Self-taught graphite pencil artist, Kevin Eccles, from Hillside, is equally investigative in his highly detailed, hyperrealistic re-interpretations of the world around him: “My work explores that what we take for granted and documents on paper in such detail, your eyes will wonder again and again. The amount of detail shows the level of understanding of what I am creating.”

Although Kevin has previously experimented using watercolour and coloured pencils, he keeps returning to graphite to execute his ideas which remains at the core of his practice: “My preferred medium is graphite pencil although this may expand in the future. With a monotone outlook, the illusion is created using various shades of grey.”

Now retired, Kevin has been able to draw upon his earlier career as an electrical engineer to structure a clear-cut system of execution: “As an engineer, planning and attention to detail is critical where that mind set can be an advantage when creating a complex piece. Once an engineer always an engineer.”

Rising to the challenge of attaining photographic precision, when restricted to using a monochromatic palette, is even more testing given the wide extent of Kevin’s all-embracing vision: “To date I have been influenced by the world around me which is vast, mundane and diverse whether it be mechanical, biological or bricks and mortar. If I can find a subject/object to push the boundary - my boundary - then let’s do it.”.

Certainly not one to be missed, this latest showing by Marion and Kevin will be on display at the ArtHouse, Eastbank Street, Southport from June 4-22.  The gallery is open Tuesday – Friday 10am-3pm.  Saturday 11am-4pm.

Location: Southport, Merseyside