Nightscape of Wolverhampton goes on display at Mayor's Parlour

The stunning panorama painted by Wordsley-based landscape artist Robert Perry is being donated to the city after it has been shown in an exhibition of the artists’ work at Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

With a van for a studio and a head torch among his brushes artist Robert Perry works exclusively on location producing spectacular views from his travels across Britain and Europe.

But he travelled a bit closer to home and up more than seven storeys of the art school building, in Wolverhampton Ring Road, to create the panorama views across the city at night.

The artist, who is a prominent member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, is exhibiting his paintings at the Lichfield Street gallery from May 20 until July 9 with the exhibition supported by the Owen Family Trust and the Grimmitt Trust’.

Among the works on show is the specially commissioned piece, which was presented to Wolverhampton Mayor Councillor Barry Finlay and will hang in the Mayor’s Parlour at the Civic Centre.

Robert Perry, who was head of art at Redditch College, said: “I was born in Brierley Hill and have lived and worked in Stourbridge so the Black Country and its deep sense of community has always fascinated me. This particular painting captures an industrial landscape, which has changed dramatically over the years, and I am delighted it will hang in the mayor’s parlour.”

Wolverhampton Mayor, Councillor Barry Findlay, added: “Visitors to the gallery can enjoy Robert’s stunning paintings of the West Midlands landscape and scenes from European battlefields. We are delighted to accept this piece, which, following the exhibition, will hang in the Civic Centre.”

As a plein-air travel-painter Robert Perry’s work is created in, on the side and on top of his trusty Renault Traffic van, giving him the opportunity to capture the effects of light, atmosphere and season on the urban and rural views around him.

He said: “The van, which is my workshop has done more than 240,000 miles. It has taken me all over Europe and Britain and has allowed me to capture landscapes as I travel. I work vigorously and all my paintings are created in one sitting, taking between four to six hours to complete.”

The exhibition ‘Robert Perry. An artist from the Black Country’ has been created in association with Artifex Galleries of Sutton Coldfield and is sponsored by the Grimmitt Trust, the Rubery Owen Family Trust and the University of Wolverhampton.

Some of the paintings will be available to buy. More information can be found on Robert Perry’s website www.robertperry-artist.co.uk