Eamon Everall
Encyclopedia
Eamon Everall is an English artist and educator. He was one of the 12 founder members of the Stuckists
art group. He paints in a "neo-cubist" style, with subjects from life worked on over a long period.
, Hampshire in an army family. He spent his childhood years in the UK, Europe and Asia, and attended 14 schools, including in Germany and the Far East. The last of these were St Edmunds School, Dover
, and The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone
, both in Kent
, England.
He studied art at the now-defunct Folkestone School Of Art, and then Waltham Forest School of Art (now University of East London
). He took a postgraduate course in advanced printmaking at Wimbledon School of Art, specialising in printmaking. After college he travelled abroad, and ended up working on a Rhine river steamer, then worked as a postman and a dustman.
1974–76, Everall won an ARCUK (Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom
) scholarship and studied architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture
, London. For the following twelve years he repaired musical instruments, was a builder's assistant labourer, antique fair promoter and part-time art lecturer.
From 1988 onwards, he has divided his week between his studio practice and working as Head of Art & Design, Redbridge Institute, London. He said that "adult learners really can turn out the goods and produce work of great depth and wit" and that he sees entry level students regularly gaining university places.
In 1996, he gained a post-graduate degree (MA) in Visual Theory. He was a founder member of the Stuckist
art movement in 1999, and has been an exhibitor in all their main group shows since then. In 2000 he curated the Stuckist exhibition at the Metropole Arts Centre in Folkestone.
In 2004, he was one of the fourteen "founder and featured" artists in The Stuckists Punk Victorian
held at the Walker Art Gallery
for the Liverpool Biennial
. In 2006, he was one of the ten "leading Stuckists" in the Go West
exhibition at Spectrum London
gallery.
He lives in east London on the edge of Epping Forest
, practises Buddhist
meditation, and lives frugally; his early years in Malaya
have created a lasting taste for hot, spicy food.
Everall creates vivid compositions incorporating elements of neo-cubism
. He mostly works from life and observation, although there is considerable interpretation in the end result.
Some of his paintings may take several years to complete, as changes are made and the composition revised over many layers. He is also technically knowledgeable, studying theories of "paint chemistry, technique, history of art, composition and the perceptual process. I consider such knowledge an essential part of the painter's method."
He goes on Buddhist meditation retreats, and this can inform his work: the idea for a painting The Gift came to him "in a flash" during one. He refrains from talking about the meaning of the painting, as it "works on a number of different levels. I'm trying to create paintings which can be revisited time and time again, so the viewer finds a growing set of meanings and sensations."
The basic subject of the painting is a woman standing behind a cluttered table of plates, fruit and books, and seen through a doorway (the painting is the shape and size of a door). There is an empty chair next to her and a guitar in between.
Behind her is what appears to be a window showing a typical English residential street. The woman's hands hold a wooden tray upon which lie an assortment of papers and magazines. Different viewpoints, visual perspectives and facetted images are employed throughout the painting which is built upon a vertical pictorial geometry based on a golden section rectangle and a square.
As of 2008, Everall is working on a series of paintings portraying artists associated with Stuckism. Completed so far are portraits of Billy Childish
and Charles Thomson
(co-founders of Stuckism), Ella Guru
and Mark D
, plus one of himself. All the portraits are either wholly from life or using drawings made from life, backed up with his own photos. The intention is to create more than 20 such works in the coming year.
As well as producing paintings and related 2D art work, Everall also creates 3D works which range from small palm sized ceramic pieces to large outdoor stone sculpture. He won a commission for a Millennium sculpture in East London.
Stuckism
Stuckism is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting in opposition to conceptual art...
art group. He paints in a "neo-cubist" style, with subjects from life worked on over a long period.
Life and career
He was born in AldershotAldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, Hampshire in an army family. He spent his childhood years in the UK, Europe and Asia, and attended 14 schools, including in Germany and the Far East. The last of these were St Edmunds School, Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
, and The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, both in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England.
He studied art at the now-defunct Folkestone School Of Art, and then Waltham Forest School of Art (now University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
). He took a postgraduate course in advanced printmaking at Wimbledon School of Art, specialising in printmaking. After college he travelled abroad, and ended up working on a Rhine river steamer, then worked as a postman and a dustman.
1974–76, Everall won an ARCUK (Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom
Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom
Under an Act passed by the UK Parliament in 1931, there was established an Architects' Registration Council of the United Kingdom , referred to in the Act as "the Council". The constitution of the Council was prescribed by the First Schedule to the Act. The Act made the Council a body corporate...
) scholarship and studied architecture at the Architectural Association School of Architecture
Architectural Association School of Architecture
The Architectural Association School of Architecture, more usually known as the AA, is an architectural school in London, United Kingdom...
, London. For the following twelve years he repaired musical instruments, was a builder's assistant labourer, antique fair promoter and part-time art lecturer.
In 1996, he gained a post-graduate degree (MA) in Visual Theory. He was a founder member of the Stuckist
Stuckism
Stuckism is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson to promote figurative painting in opposition to conceptual art...
art movement in 1999, and has been an exhibitor in all their main group shows since then. In 2000 he curated the Stuckist exhibition at the Metropole Arts Centre in Folkestone.
In 2004, he was one of the fourteen "founder and featured" artists in The Stuckists Punk Victorian
The Stuckists Punk Victorian
The Stuckists Punk Victorian was the first national gallery exhibition of Stuckist art. It was held at the Walker Art Gallery and Lady Lever Art Gallery in Liverpool from 18 September 2004 to 20 February 2005, and was part of the 2004 Liverpool Biennial....
held at the Walker Art Gallery
Walker Art Gallery
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England, outside of London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group, and is promoted as "the National Gallery of the North" because it is not a local or regional gallery but is part...
for the Liverpool Biennial
Liverpool Biennial
Liverpool Biennial is a British international festival of contemporary art held in Liverpool. The festival comprises the International Exhibition, the John Moores Painting Prize, the Bloomberg New Contemporaries Exhibition and the Independents Biennial....
. In 2006, he was one of the ten "leading Stuckists" in the Go West
Go West (exhibition)
Go West is the title of the first exhibition by Stuckist artists in a commercial London West End gallery. It was staged in Spectrum London gallery in October 2006...
exhibition at Spectrum London
Spectrum London
Spectrum London was a London art gallery which showed contemporary figurative painting, photography and sculpture. It staged Go West, the first commercial West End show of the Stuckists, and a retrospective by Sebastian Horsley...
gallery.
He lives in east London on the edge of Epping Forest
Epping Forest
Epping Forest is an area of ancient woodland in south-east England, straddling the border between north-east Greater London and Essex. It is a former royal forest, and is managed by the City of London Corporation....
, practises Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
meditation, and lives frugally; his early years in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
have created a lasting taste for hot, spicy food.
Art
Cubism
Cubism was a 20th century avant-garde art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European painting and sculpture, and inspired related movements in music, literature and architecture...
. He mostly works from life and observation, although there is considerable interpretation in the end result.
Some of his paintings may take several years to complete, as changes are made and the composition revised over many layers. He is also technically knowledgeable, studying theories of "paint chemistry, technique, history of art, composition and the perceptual process. I consider such knowledge an essential part of the painter's method."
He goes on Buddhist meditation retreats, and this can inform his work: the idea for a painting The Gift came to him "in a flash" during one. He refrains from talking about the meaning of the painting, as it "works on a number of different levels. I'm trying to create paintings which can be revisited time and time again, so the viewer finds a growing set of meanings and sensations."
The basic subject of the painting is a woman standing behind a cluttered table of plates, fruit and books, and seen through a doorway (the painting is the shape and size of a door). There is an empty chair next to her and a guitar in between.
As of 2008, Everall is working on a series of paintings portraying artists associated with Stuckism. Completed so far are portraits of Billy Childish
Billy Childish
Billy Childish is an English artist, painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer and guitarist...
and Charles Thomson
Charles Thomson (artist)
Charles Thomson is an English artist, painter, poet and photographer. In the early 1980s he was a member of The Medway Poets. In 1999 he named and co-founded the Stuckists art movement with Billy Childish. He has curated Stuckist shows, organised demonstrations against the Turner Prize, run an art...
(co-founders of Stuckism), Ella Guru
Ella Guru
Ella Guru is an American painter and musician living in London. She was a member of Mambo Taxi and the Voodoo Queens. In 1999, she became one of the founding members of the Stuckist art movement.-Life:Ella Guru was born in Ohio, USA...
and Mark D
Mark D
Mark D, born Mark Randall, is a British artist and punk musician . He is also associated with the Stuckist group of artists.-Life and work:Mark D was born and spent his childhood in Peterborough. He now lives in Nottingham...
, plus one of himself. All the portraits are either wholly from life or using drawings made from life, backed up with his own photos. The intention is to create more than 20 such works in the coming year.
As well as producing paintings and related 2D art work, Everall also creates 3D works which range from small palm sized ceramic pieces to large outdoor stone sculpture. He won a commission for a Millennium sculpture in East London.
Further reading
- Ed. Katherine Evans (2000), The Stuckists, Victoria Press, ISBN 0-907165-27-3.