Chris Rigby - Artist

 Houses and other buildings have provided the main subject matter for much of my work over the past two or three years, since a spell living in Lancaster, where I was looking at rather a lot of them.
At the time, I was working at a café where I had to open up at 6 a.m.; it was summer and the early morning light on the buildings was stunning.

A whole show was based around this experience and I've continued to develop the theme thenceforth.

"I was out sketching in Carnforth"

 I was out sketching in Carnforth where I happened to be standing in the entrance to a mechanics yard, when I was approached by the mechanic himself. He introduced himself to me as being Peter Yates (and has remained so ever since). He explained his involvement in the 'Friends of Carnforth Station', and together we decided it would be a suitable subject for some paintings. Peter Davies gave me a whirlwind tour and concise history of the station, which served to further fuel the already burning fire of my enthusiasm.

When it comes to painting architecture, my interest is very much in run down, dilapidated structures that bear the scars and decay of time. This, I found in abundance at the station, exactly the qualities the FOCS intended to eradicate. With restoration work due to begin in a few weeks, I set to recording the scene as I saw it.

I have approached this subject matter from the perspective of a painter and very much hope they will be seen to have artistic value as paintings, but I also hope that they will be received with similar enthusiasm by people with an interest in the train station for whatever reason.

Chris Rigby