Brendan Stuart Burns

Brendan Stuart Burns was born in South Africa in 1963. He studied Fine Art at Cardiff College of Art and a postgraduate in painting at Slade. He completed his academic artistry in 2011through his PhD, a study of Pembrokeshire entitled “Shadow into Parent Light; Beyond Pembrokeshire, Beyond Landscape”, an innovative exploration of landscape abstraction that formed the basis of his approach to painting.

Burns is inspired by the Pembrokeshire landscape, but not in the traditional sense. He adopts a macro approach, focusing on individual landscape elements such as rockpools, lichen, and stones. Through these foci, Burns’ work carries a haunting, distinct feeling of isolation. The viewer is immediately reminded of one’s own mortality in contrast to the immutable nature of the natural world, which is again contrasted by the ephemera of Burns’ choice; a rockpool no longer exists when the tide changes, a stone will be washed away soon, yet the landscape always remains, and a viewer may find some peace in that revelation.

The foundation of Burns’ work is a balance between painting, process, and subject matter. Consistent development of his visual language through his oeuvre is achieved by returning to Pembrokeshire’s beaches for inspiration, time and time again. This treatment of the beaches as a muse challenges his application of paint and charcoal. He communicates multiple instances of experiencing similar elements of the natural landscape to the viewer while incorporating his own self-development. For Burns, the overarching point of painting is to create a painting which “allows thought itself to breathe.”

Burns has exhibited both nationally and internationally, including America, France, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. His solo exhibitions include Edging West – New Paintings, Drawings & Ceramics Osborne Samuel Gallery, London; New Paintings Rosenberg & Co, New York; Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh 2018, Flow & Pulse Rosenberg & Co, New York; Influere, Oriel Y Parc, St. Davids 2010, and more. His work is held in numerous private and public collections including The National Museum & Galleries of Wales, The Derek Williams Trust, The Contemporary Art Society of Wales, A Fundacion Casa Museo ‘A Solaina’ de Pilono, Spain and Contemporary Art Society of Britain (Tom Bendhem Bequest).

The collection includes 18 works from Brendan’s ‘St Davids’ series. 2 were specifically commissioned for Roch castle whilst the other 16 are all chosen from the works created in the Residency and all hang in Penrhiw Priory where they appear to have been created of and with the creation of the Priory itself – such is the bond between the deep spirituality of the Priory and of the paintings and the match of the Caerfai bay purple stone in the paintings and in the walls of the Priory.

Brendan’s work and approach from his residency is described in his book ‘Glimpse’ which is available in the three hotels.

“These paintings are an unadulterated celebration of beauty in paint inspired by nature and its inner rhythms. The shimmer of light is incredibly difficult to capture in a painting, but in these works, I have allowed space and energised colour to work on the sensual aspects of experiencing the wonders of nature. The physicality of paint itself is important also, floating on the primed linen canvas along with silver and gold spray, the painting transforms itself seen under different lighting conditions. The contemplative sense of calm, balance and nourishment is important experience in my work. My paintings refract human presence; they make one aware of themselves, openly revealing one’s own fragility of existence and sense of being human. They are sensuous and seductive, they allow the eyes to experience the sense of touch, to smell or taste colour, they celebrate beauty.

The materiality of the process in these paintings, its bleed, drag, smudge, layer, thick, thin, gesture, rhythm, movement, shimmer, microcosm, macrocosm are all so important in presenting a painting which you need to sense as well as see. Titles are so important and they always come after the painting is finished. These words must present the viewer with an almost onomatopoeic, synaesthetic emotional connection.
‘Fizz’ is inspired by the colouring of lichen growth on the coastal paths and cliffs. It is a joyous celebration of nature’s subtle palette, there is a rhythm and sense of movement in the way that lichen grows, clinging to the rocks and surviving in such extreme weather. The analogy and symbolism is also important here, but more so is the deep beauty in something so small presented large. We the viewer are made small in comparison in order to explore this world visually.

‘Crackle’ is a painting inspired by the delicate sand patterns left after a receding tide, this is a more contemplative and ethereal painting. The sense of isolation and absence of tide is heightened by this delicate and subtle palette. The shapes and rhythm whisper’s its fragility to the eye. These marks and colours are natures drawings at their most tender.

‘Relish’ presents an organised harmony of greens, yellows and blues. The details I discovered using a macro lens studying the rich flora and fauna of the glacier alluvial planes of Iceland. It, like so much of my work embraces the ambiguity presented to the viewer; Is it a macro or micro space/form? This painting celebrates the beauty of colour found in the mosses and the spectrum of subtlety and softness of colour. The haze-like a dapple of lichens and the rhythmical growth patterns as they embrace their rock surface.”