In his new body of work Terrain John Harmer delves into the intriguing interplay between our natural surroundings and human-built structures. In his exploration of Sussex and beyond the artists paintings serve as a lens through which he reveals the hidden dynamics and tensions inherent in our environment.

In this major solo exhibition here at Weald Contemporary, Harmer invites us to contemplate the liminal space where the familiar meets the unknown, where the boundaries between natural beauty and civilisation blur and transform.

Please could you talk a bit about your exhibition with Weald Contemporary and how you landed upon the title Terrain?

John - My second exhibition with Weald Contemporary continues my exploration of the relationship between architecture and landscape. The title Terrain encapsulates the various depictions of landscape, but is also applicable to the textured surfaces of my canvases.  

Are there particular areas of West Sussex which hold a particular significance and are all of them represented literally or otherwise in the exhibition?

John - I have lived in Chichester my whole adult life. Elements of these familiar places inevitably show up in some of my paintings. Garden Wall and Yellow Chimney are the most literal representations of Chichester, based on my own photographs taken recently.  Others are not derived from a specific image but invented from memory, such as Stream, which is reminiscent of certain areas of Fishbourne.

You told me that your intimate painting of Bosham was from an old photograph, could you tell me more about this?

John - Very occasionally, I will use a specific photographic reference. My early childhood was spent in Bosham and it holds very fond memories for me. When I found some early snapshots of Bosham Quay, I felt compelled to make a small painting speaking to my nostalgia.

 Depictions of landscape and architecture in art and cinema provide some impetus and inspiration for your work, how has it been concentrating a little more on areas of Sussex that you know very well and explore frequently?

John - While I am mostly inspired by landscape and architecture as depicted in cinema and other mediums, I have found myself revisiting my local environment periodically throughout my career. As mentioned, recently I have begun applying some of the compositional lessons I have learned through looking at cinema to my observations whilst exploring Chichester on foot. I have enjoyed viewing the city through this new personal lens.

It is interesting that as an artist your work allows you to travel, not necessarily literally, but people keep in touch with you through the work, and so the work travels, the images travel, and therefore you’re not static either.

John - Yes, as you know, I'm not a traveller. It is gratifying that my paintings have found homes far and wide and that some collectors have stayed in touch over the years.

Most people know you as a painter, but we perhaps don’t know about your illustrative skills. Can you tell me a little about you work you do for Breathe Magazine?

John - My Breathe Magazine illustrations are built in layers, much like my paintings, they are created digitally using the Procreate app on my iPad. It took me a few months to find the right combination of digital brushes to reflect how I handle paint. I enjoy the breadth of topics that Breathe ask me to illustrate, including storm chasing, metal detection and local theatre.  

What are you reading at the moment?

John - Constructive Anatomy by George B. Bridgman, a key text for artists wrestling with the complex task of drawing and understanding the human figure.

How would you describe your painting process?

John - My current practice involves a heavy research phase scouring various sources for images that I find interesting. I then set those images aside and begin working intuitively directly on the canvas. The paintings are constructed swiftly in layers, often completed in a day - a benefit of using acrylic, a quick-drying paint.

You told me recently that if you had a larger studio space, you think your work would change, can you speak more about that?

John - There are both advantages and disadvantages of working at home. A larger studio would enable me to scale up the effects I have developed in my painting, and to produce much larger works. I could also be free to explore the sometimes messy techniques associated with abstract expressionism that I am interested in employing in my practice.

Could you finish by giving me a 5-10 song studio soundtrack please?

Sleaford Mods - Mork n Mindy

Danger Doom - Old School Rules

Father John Misty - Total Entertainment Forever

Dry Cleaning - Scratchyard Lanyard

The Band - The Weight

Weyes Blood - Grapevine

A Tribe Called Quest - Dis Generation (feat. Busta Rhymes)

Broadcast - Come On Let's Go

Public Service Broadcasting - Spitfire

Cardiacs - The Whole World Window