Cornish Fancies 1995

This year's exhibition promises to create a lively and unfaded vision of Cornwall - a breath of fresh air and colour. The paintings include John's refreshing interpretation of delightful cornish harbours and villages, set alongside his dreamy paintings of floating people, abundant fish and luxurious mermaids. The title "Cornish Fancies" appropriately describes both sides to John's enchanting paintings. With a splash of colour the paintings leap from their frames and welcome you through the door. Each painting is a reminder of a happy day spent sitting on clifftops and hillsides, harbour walls and beaches, while the world goes by and is captured in paint. A world of happiness and colour; flowers blooming and people having fun. You can almost hear the lapping of the water, the jangling of the masts and people shouting and laughing. The painting "Serving Lunch to Family and Friends" embraces, begging you to join in the feast. A place has been set at the table for the viewer, as seagulls swoop around and fresh lobster is served. The vibrant colours in the foreground are calmed gently by the soft blues of the sea and the drifting motion of the sailing boats behind. The cat looks up longingly, asking for a treat. In some of the softer coloured paintings, John captures the early morning light, ready for a beautifully hot summer's day. In the painting "Moon Daisies and Fishermen, Port Loe" the soft greens of the landscape are balanced with the pale blue sky and turquoise sea. The busy fishermen are captured in their daily tasks, while the wild flowers nod their lazy heads in approval, from the cliffs above.

A Splash of Summer 1996

This year's show brings us the sizzling heat and sunshine frolics we all enjoy on a summer's day. It brings us colourful boats buzzing about on the river, happy people playing on the beach, sumptuous food and flowers on brightly coloured tablecloths - wine ready to pour and scones ready to eat. Part of the exhibition includes a body of work which John painted in Catalonia. After the initial battle against ants and heat, not to mention a few not so friendly dogs, John managed to capture the beauty and colours of the mediterranean. Local people gardening, selling fruit in the market, chatting and walking the dog. All these beautiful spanish elements John has brought back for us to enjoy with him. His cornish paintings too are influenced by his spanish trip, and seem to ooze with a mediterranean light. But then, when the sun shines, Cornwall could be anywhere in the world. John's paintings are full of energy; the paint is applied vigorously with clean colours and fresh brush strokes. His subjects become animated and are full of joy. 'A Splash of Summer' really is what it says, with paintings to make you smile and enjoy the summer all year round.

Beneath Cornish Skies - (Hale-Bopp) 1997

Standing amongst the palm trees on a clear starry night in Cornwall is a truly magical experience, made even more amazing by the breathtaking sight of the comet Hale-Bopp. As the comet blazed across the night sky it put the curve of the earth and the vast expanse of sky into my mind and this, combined with all the magical colours of Cornwall, is what I have been painting this year. I hope that you will find my paintings full of optimism, fun, joy, happiness, the good things in life, and the colours that may have passed you by. I love to sit by the sea and listen to its sounds, and watch the way in which it reflects the sky. The shimmering light across its surface is truly remarkable and this, combined with the colour of the water, if it is shallow and over white sand, surprises me every time. People are often amazed by some of the colours in my work, but if you look carefully it is all there. Dark shadows are full of blues and purples and a vibrant green contains a myriad of yellows and blues. Sitting on the edge of a Cornish harbour, watching the tide come in really is an experience not to be missed. The water totally changes the harbour; the colours change, the sounds change, you will notice fishermen checking their boats and unloading their catch. Children play games in the water, dogs run around after sticks and balls, and if you are painting sometimes over your work ! I hope that you enjoy my paintings, and that perhaps on a gloomy winterÕs day one of them may remind you of life beneath Cornish skies.

Mad about Cornwall. 1997

When the sun comes out in Cornwall, the landscape fills with colour, the light pours over the vegetation filling each leaf with radiant colours and cool waters into Mediterranean delights. I love living in Cornwall, and I love painting. I spend every day that I can out and about painting what I see: Bright colours, sunshine and fun, small dogs with damp noses, peeling paint and peeling people; shells on the beach, sea spray in the air, jazz bands in bandstands, picnics on cliff tops, bright coloured smocks, cactus plants on walls, and banana plants in the park; small coves, huge Atlantic beaches, surf and still waters, the red moon on the horizon and stars, comets, and crickets; lighthouses and cottages, fishing boats and floats; theatre on the cliff, getting married on the beach, clear air and big skies; seagulls, greedy gulls, and silly gulls; buckets of crabs, fishermen in yellow oilskins, cats steeling fish, sea pinks and mermaids, ferry boats and flags. These are just some of the things that inspire my paintings. My work documents my trips out into the landscape and the things that I enjoy. Through my paintings I hope to lift peoples spirits and provide an optimistic outlook on life. ŌMad about CornwallÕ is an introduction to my work. I hope that the enjoyment I get from making my paintings comes through the show to you.

John Dyer 1997

Tall Ships & Small Ships 1998

With a festival of colour and light, this year JohnÕs exhibition coincides with the start of the Tall ShipsÕ Race, leaving Falmouth and heading for Portugal in a parade of sail. Tall ships are frequent visitors to the Cornish Harbours, and may often be seen floating majestically in Falmouth Bay. This year will be a treat to the eye as nearly one hundred ships surround the coastline and prepare themselves for the race. In his Tall Ship paintings John has captured the bustling colourful preparations as people on shore enjoy the view and those on small boats join in and take part in this special event. The use of gold and silver leaf embellishes the celebrations, the water sparkles under a silver moon and the fireworks explode in a halo of gold; busy sailors climb the rigging and colourful flags fill the bay. The title of this exhibition "Tall Ships and Small Ships" embraces both the Tall Ships event and daily life in the Cornish seaside villages and harbours; the magical evening light as fishermen check their nets and return home to their cottages. In the painting "Golden Glow, Mevagissey" a golden light floods from the windows with a welcoming glow, spilling gold out across the harbour. Seagulls dip and dive against the starry sky, daylight fading to dusk. In Mousehole a couple enjoy the views while drinking tea in their flower filled harbour side garden. Happy scenes of warmth and comfort captured by the artist as he delights in his surroundings. The whole show captures both this homeliness and at the same time the fun and celebrations on the water. A delightful spectacle and one not to be missed.

Watching & Waiting (Eclipse) 1999

As the title of my show indicates this year is a very special year for me; I will be watching and waiting for the birth of my first child. My wife Joanne is expecting the baby on the 12th of August; the day after the Eclipse. For the birth of my first child to be due around such a significant and rare event has naturally had an impact on the subject matter of my work. As the shadow of the Moon sweeps across the landscape of Cornwall it will create a unique light and atmosphere a truly spectacular moment, visually and historically. Through my paintings I hope to convey my optimism, fun, life, joy, happiness, the good things in life, and the colours that pass people by. For me to be able to sit in the landscape and watch as life carries on before me is a real delight; fishermen tending their boats, flowers opening in the sun, children playing in the water, and dogs of all shapes, colours and sizes enjoying the world. These are just a few of the things that take me back into the landscape time and time again.

John Dyer 1999 (Martha-Lilly Dyer was born on the morning of the eclipse 11th August 1999)

Beachy Treats - On Holiday at Home 2000

We are lucky enough to live and work in one of the most beautiful and inspiring parts of the world. Our home in Cornwall with its tantalising glimpses of the sea and wrought iron balconies forms the creative centre of this world. Waking up to the sound of seagulls and the changing light on the sea, people coming and going from the hotels and promenading along the sea front makes us feel that we are on holiday at home. We watch the top hatted door men welcome new visitors, waiters busily putting up stripy umbrellas for morning coffee and we feel part of the holiday excitement. It is a real treat to be part of this optimistic holiday atmosphere and our paintings record the things that we love to watch and places that we visit. A days painting is always a delight, especially if it involves sunshine, sea and icecreams. Our world is full of beachy treats.

John Dyer & Joanne Short 2000