Huddersfield-born artist Maxwell Doig has generously donated ‘Figure Reading on Grass 1’ to The New Light Collection.
Doig, a successful artist based in Yorkshire, studied at The Manchester School of Art and The Slade School of Art before launching his first solo exhibition in 1990. In 1993 he moved back to the Huddersfield area opening his first studio in Slaithwaite. In 1997 he won the Villiers David Prize and since then has had many UK and international solo exhibitions.
The art of Maxwell Doig is described by the art critic John Russell Taylor as: “immediately recognisable as his, not only because of his very individual deployment of various painterly techniques but also, primarily because of his distinctive vision.” A short film about his work, ‘Figures In Solitude’ by Christopher Nunn was released last year and he is currently working towards his first solo exhibition at Messum’s Fine Art, London, in February 2017.
The New Light Collection is a new initiative for the Yorkshire-based art charity New Light. The charity was established to promote and celebrate art and artists from the North of England and The New Light Collection showcases the talent and expertise from some of the North’s best artists. The Collection will be offered free-of-charge to hospitals, schools and other community groups and will be offered at a cost to corporate sponsors who want to support the arts in the North of England.
Doig explains why he donated his piece to The Collection: “New Light promote skill, craftsmanship and excellence in the visual arts in the North of England. I donated a work on paper to their collection because I admire their values and because they are very active in promoting the visual arts in the North.”
New Light Director and artist Emerson Mayes says: “The Collection is an exciting new venture for New Light and a way that we can help to make art accessible to everyone. By providing art free-of-charge to public spaces including prisons and schools, more people will be able to experience and enjoy the region’s diverse artistic heritage.”
The New Light Collection was established initially with donated works from prize-winners of the New Light Prize Exhibition. The Exhibition takes place every two years and is currently showing at The Mercer Gallery in Harrogate. Former prize-winners Josie Jenkins and Nat Quinn have also donated pieces to the Collection. In addition it features works from Norman Ackroyd CBE RA, one of Britain’s most renowned printmakers and popular Yorkshire artist Tom Wood.