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Devotedly Dorset Paul Dolman
21 May 2020
4walls was blown away by artist Paul Dolman’s stunning depictions of various different landscapes and settings. We were keen to understand more about the makings of Paul’s career as a painter, and where he sources inspiration for his unparalleled and distinctive pieces.
Born in Derbyshire, Paul then moved with his parents during his earlier years and went on to spend his childhood in the picturesque county of Devon, where his love and interest for art grew as he did. His talents were visible at a young age, and throughout his childhood he collected a series of awards as a junior artist - a considerable achievement which only indicated the success that was to come during his future art career.
It was this exposure to the landscape around him that acted as a catalyst for propelling Paul into his journey as an artist, and he landed his first job in the arts as a pottery designer. He then moved from there to become an illustrator for the South Devon Scene, a local newspaper based in the internationally renowned art college at Dartington Hall near Totnes.
Early on during his time as an illustrator, Paul’s talent was widely recognised and he achieved almost immediate success within the artistic sphere, having been commissioned to produce pen and ink drawings for multiple clients in the publishing industry.
Paul finds his inspiration from the natural beauty he is surrounded by and its ever changing moods. Living on the south coast of England, his coastal inspiration is evident throughout his work. He often works from his studio which is situated right on Avon Beach in Mudeford, where he has been a resident artist for the last few years. Paul tells us: “I like my work to stand out and be different to other landscape artist’s work. To achieve this, I prefer to work in more atmospheric lighting conditions, meaning I focus on capturing this instead of more sunny and typically picturesque types of days”.
Paul’s individual style is shown through the sophistication of each of his pieces, all showing great depth and a multitude of layers which he has continued to develop and evolve throughout his artistic journey. His use of atmospheric light allows his pieces to almost dance off the canvas, evoking feelings and encapsulating senses of the familiar weather conditions he depicts - from heavy, foggy days to clear, colder evenings. Paul describes his work as having a romanticist style, with a focus on finding inspiration from nature and emotions.
Paul is most passionate about painting, and tells 4walls that in recent years he has moved towards using more oils and mixed media, which allows him to create wonderfully atmospheric and vivid landscapes full of life and drama. In terms of the quality of his materials, Paul finds that using a high quality oil paint with very strong pigments, and painting on board rather than canvas makes a difference to his work.
When asked about some of his favourite pieces, Paul tells us that he would struggle to be able to choose which of his work he is most proud of, but so far he has most enjoyed creating his forest paintings, such as the piece featured here.
Paul’s work has been featured in galleries in New York, Nantucket, Australia and New Zealand. This reflects the level of international recognition he has achieved for the quality, clarity, dramatic light and atmospheric themes featured throughout his work. Not only this, but Paul’s work has been featured in some interesting locations here in the UK, including ITV Mr Selfridge’s Highcliffe Castle!
To see more of Paul’s work, follow him on Facebook and Instagram @padolman, or visit his website
artistpauldolman.co.uk
Born in Derbyshire, Paul then moved with his parents during his earlier years and went on to spend his childhood in the picturesque county of Devon, where his love and interest for art grew as he did. His talents were visible at a young age, and throughout his childhood he collected a series of awards as a junior artist - a considerable achievement which only indicated the success that was to come during his future art career.
It was this exposure to the landscape around him that acted as a catalyst for propelling Paul into his journey as an artist, and he landed his first job in the arts as a pottery designer. He then moved from there to become an illustrator for the South Devon Scene, a local newspaper based in the internationally renowned art college at Dartington Hall near Totnes.
Early on during his time as an illustrator, Paul’s talent was widely recognised and he achieved almost immediate success within the artistic sphere, having been commissioned to produce pen and ink drawings for multiple clients in the publishing industry.
Paul finds his inspiration from the natural beauty he is surrounded by and its ever changing moods. Living on the south coast of England, his coastal inspiration is evident throughout his work. He often works from his studio which is situated right on Avon Beach in Mudeford, where he has been a resident artist for the last few years. Paul tells us: “I like my work to stand out and be different to other landscape artist’s work. To achieve this, I prefer to work in more atmospheric lighting conditions, meaning I focus on capturing this instead of more sunny and typically picturesque types of days”.
Paul’s individual style is shown through the sophistication of each of his pieces, all showing great depth and a multitude of layers which he has continued to develop and evolve throughout his artistic journey. His use of atmospheric light allows his pieces to almost dance off the canvas, evoking feelings and encapsulating senses of the familiar weather conditions he depicts - from heavy, foggy days to clear, colder evenings. Paul describes his work as having a romanticist style, with a focus on finding inspiration from nature and emotions.
Paul is most passionate about painting, and tells 4walls that in recent years he has moved towards using more oils and mixed media, which allows him to create wonderfully atmospheric and vivid landscapes full of life and drama. In terms of the quality of his materials, Paul finds that using a high quality oil paint with very strong pigments, and painting on board rather than canvas makes a difference to his work.
When asked about some of his favourite pieces, Paul tells us that he would struggle to be able to choose which of his work he is most proud of, but so far he has most enjoyed creating his forest paintings, such as the piece featured here.
Paul’s work has been featured in galleries in New York, Nantucket, Australia and New Zealand. This reflects the level of international recognition he has achieved for the quality, clarity, dramatic light and atmospheric themes featured throughout his work. Not only this, but Paul’s work has been featured in some interesting locations here in the UK, including ITV Mr Selfridge’s Highcliffe Castle!
To see more of Paul’s work, follow him on Facebook and Instagram @padolman, or visit his website
artistpauldolman.co.uk
