Still Lives by James Gillick

Further to an article about the work of Henry Wingate and still life painting that bears the mark of the liturgical baroque style, here, I show some still lives by the English artist, James Gillick, in a similar vein. Jim is based in Lincolnshire in the East Midlands. He is one of the leading naturalistic artists in the UK at the moment, and devoted to the re-establishment of traditional forms in the Church. Some readers will be aware of work for Fr John Saward on the restoration of SS Gregory and Augustine in Woodstock, Oxford. This was featured on this site in 2009, here.

It is important that artists understand the dependence of traditional mundane forms on the liturgical forms in order for the broader culture to be centred on the liturgical life. Even if the artist ultimately specialises in still life, portrait or landscape his training should include a focus on the liturgical forms, I would suggest. Jim's work sells very well in the top galleries of London and most of those buying are not aware of the that there is any Christian theology associated with the form. They just buy them because they like them, and can afford them. This is, in a concrete way, helping to establish the broader culture as a Catholic culture through the power of beauty and attraction. His paintings are, in some small way, therefore, tilling the ground for the sowing of the seed of the Word.