A Shenstone artist is celebrating a milestone birthday with a fantastic exhibition of landscape and architecturally-inspired paintings running throughout October at Shenstone Community Library
Since he was a young man, Dennis Harper hasn’t stopped painting. From picturesque Sutton Park to the majesty of the Lake District, tranquil Cannock Chase to the wilds of Cornwall, he has travelled around the UK and beyond, capturing the landscapes of our fair isles in oils on canvas.
And now, to celebrate his milestone 80th birthday, Dennis will be holding an exhibition of some 40 of his newest works in the gallery at Shenstone Community Library.
Dennis says: “Albeit late due to Covid, I am celebrating my 80th birthday with an exhibition of my paintings. Do come along, enjoy a glass of wine and chat while viewing my new work, considered to be some of my best yet.”
Calm Before the Storm
The exhibition will also help to support the Shenstone 1st Scouts group, of which three members have been chosen to represent Staffordshire at the World Scouts Jamboree in South Korea in 2023. Dennis has chosen a painting to donate to the cause, with proceeds from its sale going towards the £4,100 fundraising target each of the three chosen scouts has to achieve. Any additional donations from visitors to the exhibition will also be gratefully received.
Having first picked up a paintbrush as a youngster, Dennis moved from watercolours to oils at the age of 19, working hard to master the thicker medium which would become his signature. He joined the Sutton Coldfield Society of Artists when he was 25, and is now the longest-serving continuous member of the prestigious group. As a member of the Lichfield Society of Artists too, Dennis is a well-known member of the local arts community.
“I’ve been painting in and around Sutton Coldfield for a very long time, and have sold a lot of paintings in the area,” Dennis says.
Landscapes are a particular passion for Dennis, while architecture is another interest and he is often commissioned to paint house pictures.
Artist Dennis Harper is holding a celebratory exhibition in Shenstone
“A self-taught artist, I have captured scenes close to home and have found inspiration on holiday, whether it be in a Cornish hedgerow or in the swathes of purple heather on the rolling Yorkshire Moors,” Dennis says.
“We are spoiled for choice, and I wish people would look around more often at the lovely countryside we have here in the UK. It provides endless inspiration for my work.”
The Celebration Exhibition of paintings by Dennis Harper will run at Shenstone Community Library from Tuesday, October 4 to Saturday, October 29. For more details visit www.dennisharperpaintings.co.uk
