Matthew Draper
SSA VAS PS Born: 1973Place of Birth: Staffordshire
Matthew Draper identifies himself principally as a draughtsman; drawing being the most unencumbered and immediate form of image-making. His work is made with an intense and energetic immediacy, working instinctively rather than methodically, keeping him physically and emotionally involved in the process. He crushes soft pastels in his hands, rubbing the dust into the paper in wide sweeps of colour, gradually manipulating the material to build up a thick layered surface using the ball of his thumb or the heel of his hand.
He is interested in and influenced by the dramatic imagery of eighteenth and nineteenth century painting. He admires the idea of the contemplation of landscape in the Romantic spirit, found in the work of the German Romantics like Caspar David Friedrich and the notion of the grandeur of the landscape as expressed in the work of the American subliminal painters like Sanford Robinson Gifford and Frederic Edwin Church. These artists adopted the term ‘Luminism’, defined as light in the landscape and the effect that light has on the landscape and objects within it.
As a contemporary artist choosing to adopt this approach to light in the landscape, his interest is not to make straight forward topographical images that are illustrations of place. Instead he is attempting to make imagery that is descriptive of the circumstances under which the subject is viewed; images which convey a sense of place. The drawings are emotional reactions to events and experiences evolving in front of him; events happening or about to happen. The images become like fading memories or captured moments in time. The making of the work is in itself a set of actions and events which creates a harmony between his process and his interpretation of the subject.
Matthew Draper was the subject of a solo exhibition in April 2019, Sound of Raasay. To purchase the catalogue accompanying this exhibition please click here. To watch edited highlights of his Artist Talk, please click here.
View Matthew Draper's prints here.
Matthew Draper was the subject of a solo exhibition at The Scottish Gallery in April 2021 called Light & Air
We look forward to hosting Matthew's next solo exhibition in September 2022.
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And The Deluge Begins View details
Matthew Draper
And The Deluge Begins
2020pastel on paperH:24cm W:31.5cm£1,500Across Kilchoan Bay With The Headlands of Morven View detailsMatthew Draper
Across Kilchoan Bay With The Headlands of Morven
2020pastel on paperH:60cm W:125cm£5,850Morning Light, Kilchoan Bay View detailsMatthew Draper
Morning Light, Kilchoan Bay
2020pastel on paperH:76cm W:106cm£5,850Rays and Rain, The Sound of Mull Part II View detailsMatthew Draper
Rays and Rain, The Sound of Mull Part II
2021pastel on paperH:25cm W:35cm£1,500Ominous, The View from Ardnamurchan View detailsMatthew Draper
Ominous, The View from Ardnamurchan
2020pastel on paperH:15cm W:38cm£950Falling Rain, The View from Ardnamurchan View detailsMatthew Draper
Falling Rain, The View from Ardnamurchan
2020pastel on paperH:22cm W:43cm£1,600Light and Air with a Hint of Rain View detailsMatthew Draper
Light and Air with a Hint of Rain
2021pastel on paperH:82cm W:157cm£9,500Light and Air View detailsMatthew Draper
Light and Air
2021pastel on paperH:94cm W:125cm£7,750Clearing, A Morning at Seacliffs (Part VI) View detailsMatthew Draper
Clearing, A Morning at Seacliffs (Part VI)
2016pastel on paperH:51.5cm W:70.5cm£2,500-
It's a Bitter Morning, Kitchen Window Series no. 83 View details
Matthew Draper
It's a Bitter Morning, Kitchen Window Series no. 83
2021pastel on paperH:15cm W:21cmSoldMorning Haar, Kitchen Window Series no. 82 View detailsMatthew Draper
Morning Haar, Kitchen Window Series no. 82
2021pastel on paperH:29cm W:54cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part VI View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part VI
2021pastel on paperH:81cm W:165cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part II View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part II
2020pastel on paperH:35cm W:50cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part V View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part V
2020pastel on paperH:31cm W:65.5cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part III View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part III
2020pastel on paperH:35cm W:50cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part IV View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part IV
2020pastel on paperH:35cm W:50cmSoldThe Morning Sky is Full of Light Part I View detailsMatthew Draper
The Morning Sky is Full of Light Part I
2020pastel on paperH:35cm W:50cmSoldA Study for The Morning Sky is Full of Light View detailsMatthew Draper
A Study for The Morning Sky is Full of Light
2020charcoal on paperH:15cm W:21cmSoldA Study for Illuminated The Bass Rock from Yellowcraigs View detailsMatthew Draper
A Study for Illuminated The Bass Rock from Yellowcraigs
2020charcoal on paperH:21cm W:15cmSoldCascading, Crepuscular Rays Study View detailsMatthew Draper
Cascading, Crepuscular Rays Study
2020charcoal on paperH:15cm W:21cmSoldLuminous, The View From Kilchoan View detailsMatthew Draper
Luminous, The View From Kilchoan
2020charcoal on paperH:15cm W:21cmSoldA Study of Rona and The Inner Sound View detailsMatthew Draper
A Study of Rona and The Inner Sound
2020charcoal on paperH:15cm W:21cmSoldRays and Rain, A View From Ardamurchan Part III View detailsMatthew Draper
Rays and Rain, A View From Ardamurchan Part III
2021pastel on paperH:22cm W:50cmSoldTorrential Rain, A View of Mull from Ardnamurchan View detailsMatthew Draper
Torrential Rain, A View of Mull from Ardnamurchan
2020pastel on paperH:24.5cm W:53.5cmSoldIlluminated, A View of Loch Sunart View detailsMatthew Draper
Illuminated, A View of Loch Sunart
2021pastel on paperH:108cm W:162cmSoldThe Inner Sound with Rona and the Cliffs of Staffin View detailsMatthew Draper
The Inner Sound with Rona and the Cliffs of Staffin
2020pastel on paperH:25cm W:35cmSoldFloodlit, Oronsay and Carna View detailsMatthew Draper
Floodlit, Oronsay and Carna
2021pastel on paperH:79cm W:107.5cmSoldBathed in Light Oronsay and Carna View detailsMatthew Draper
Bathed in Light Oronsay and Carna
2020pastel on paperH:93cm W:154.5cmSoldIllume, A View of Loch Sunart View detailsMatthew Draper
Illume, A View of Loch Sunart
2021pastel on paperH:108cm W:162cmSoldArdnamurchan View detailsMatthew Draper
Ardnamurchan
2021pastel on paperH:30cm W:42cmSoldHaar, A View of Auld Reekie View detailsMatthew Draper
Haar, A View of Auld Reekie
2019pastel on paperH:26.5cm W:65.5cmSoldNocturne with a Thick Haar View detailsMatthew Draper
Nocturne with a Thick Haar
2016pastel on paperH:64cm W:115.5cmSoldSunrise (Part III) Kitchen Window Series No. 19 View detailsMatthew Draper
Sunrise (Part III) Kitchen Window Series No. 19
2016pastel on paperH:26.5cm W:41.5cmSoldDay Break Part III (Kitchen Window Series No. 26) View detailsMatthew Draper
Day Break Part III (Kitchen Window Series No. 26)
pastel on paperH:32.5cm W:89cmSoldFrom Sconser to Raasay (Part I) View detailsMatthew Draper
From Sconser to Raasay (Part I)
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldFrom Sconser to Raasay (Part II) View detailsMatthew Draper
From Sconser to Raasay (Part II)
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldFrom Sconser to Raasay (Part III) View detailsMatthew Draper
From Sconser to Raasay (Part III)
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldFrom Sconser to Raasay (Part IV) View detailsMatthew Draper
From Sconser to Raasay (Part IV)
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldTwo Red Cuillin View detailsMatthew Draper
Two Red Cuillin
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldA Study of the Forth from Longniddry View detailsMatthew Draper
A Study of the Forth from Longniddry
2019pencil on paperH:11.5cm W:16.5cmSoldNocturne with an incoming Haar View detailsMatthew Draper
Nocturne with an incoming Haar
2018Pastel on Paper 2018H:54cm W:107cmSoldFlooded, Crepuscular Rays series no 14 View detailsMatthew Draper
Flooded, Crepuscular Rays series no 14
2019pastel on paperH:32cm W:52cmSoldMomentum, Crepuscular Rays series no 16 View detailsMatthew Draper
Momentum, Crepuscular Rays series no 16
2019pastel on paperH:24.5cm W:40cmSoldVeil, Crepuscular Rays series no 22 View detailsMatthew Draper
Veil, Crepuscular Rays series no 22
2019pastel on paperH:14cm W:24.5cmSoldCloud Burst, Crepuscular Rays series no 12 View detailsMatthew Draper
Cloud Burst, Crepuscular Rays series no 12
2019pastel on paperH:79cm W:107.5cmSoldAccelerate, Crepuscular Rays series no 27 View detailsMatthew Draper
Accelerate, Crepuscular Rays series no 27
2019pastel on paperH:30cm W:49.5cmSoldAdvancing Light, Crepuscular Rays series no 3, 2019 View detailsMatthew Draper
Advancing Light, Crepuscular Rays series no 3, 2019
2019pastel on paperH:38cm W:58.5cmSoldCloud Break, Crepuscular Rays series no 13 View detailsMatthew Draper
Cloud Break, Crepuscular Rays series no 13
2019pastel on paperH:43.5cm W:70cmSoldAlight, Crepuscular Rays series no 18 View detailsMatthew Draper
Alight, Crepuscular Rays series no 18
2019pastel on paperH:64cm W:125cmSoldShimmering, Crepuscular Rays series no 9 View detailsMatthew Draper
Shimmering, Crepuscular Rays series no 9
2019pastel on paperH:23cm W:33cmSoldDescending, Crepuscular Rays series no 23 View detailsMatthew Draper
Descending, Crepuscular Rays series no 23
2019pastel on paperH:35.5cm W:50cmSoldFlickering, Crepuscular Rays series no 4 View detailsMatthew Draper
Flickering, Crepuscular Rays series no 4
2019pastel on paperH:23cm W:54cmSoldLight and Air, Crepuscular Rays series no 15 View detailsMatthew Draper
Light and Air, Crepuscular Rays series no 15
2019pastel on paperH:84cm W:164.5cmSoldBefore the Deluge, a View of Raasay and Rona View detailsMatthew Draper
Before the Deluge, a View of Raasay and Rona
2018pastel on paperH:17cm W:35cmSoldWindswept View detailsMatthew Draper
Windswept
2018pastel on paperH:89.5cm W:155cmSoldThe Silence of the Sound View detailsMatthew Draper
The Silence of the Sound
2018pastel on paperH:55cm W:125cmSoldBeaming View detailsMatthew Draper
Beaming
2018pastel on paperH:107.5cm W:120cmSoldRoaming, Crepuscular Rays series no 1 View detailsMatthew Draper
Roaming, Crepuscular Rays series no 1
2019pastel on paperH:79cm W:107.5cmSoldIlluminated Part IV View detailsMatthew Draper
Illuminated Part IV
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldDownpour on the Bass Rock View detailsMatthew Draper
Downpour on the Bass Rock
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldDescending Light Sound of Raasay View detailsMatthew Draper
Descending Light Sound of Raasay
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldCrepuscular a View of the Sound of Raasay View detailsMatthew Draper
Crepuscular a View of the Sound of Raasay
2019pencil and graphite on paperH:7.5cm W:7.5cmSoldCrepuscular View detailsLoading
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