Dates

• Existence: Born 1962

Biography

Paul Evans is a visual artist based in Sheffield, UK, who employs a range of creative strategies including close connection with academics, creative writers and graphic designers. His practice embraces a variety of drawing and painting styles as well as collaborative projects in animation and video.

Paul explores aspects of our physical and emotional relationship with nature. His paintings are inspired by the modernist canon of Abstract Expressionism and Art Informel. His aim is to evoke a new and intimate relationship between viewer and canvas.

The subtle use of refractory materials such as mica, along with carefully managed variations in surface lustre, transparency and opacity, delicacy and bravura of mark making, chaotic and controlled colour encourage an embodied response.

Paul has exhibited throughout the UK, in Japan and New York.

Paul was the winner of the Eyestorm Gallery Award for painting (2007), selection for Leverhulme Trust Residency, Cardiff University (2011), winner of the National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement ‘Engage’ Prize (2014). From 1994 until 2005 he was creative director of Vertebrate Graphics, one of Sheffield’s leading graphic design studios, he left the company in 2005 to focus on art practice.

He has engaged in a number of collaborative projects with notable poets (including Derbyshire Poet Laureate Helen Mort and Gregory Award winner Chris Jones) and with graphic designers (including Humanstudio), and with leading academics from Cardiff University, Manchester University and The University of Sheffield. These collaborations, in addition to addressing the core concerns outlined above, have also sought to test the relationship between ideas of illustration and text and through references to the graphic language of biological textbooks.

Solo exhibitions 2015 Between Water and Stone, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield 2014 The Paper Museum (with poems by AB Jackson), Graves Gallery, Sheffield 2012 The Beast Within, Manchester Museum 2010 Animism, The Atrium Gallery, Cardiff University School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff 2010 Anthropocene (featuring The 7 Wonders), Cupola Gallery, Sheffield 2009 Leviathan (with readings by Chris Jones and Matthew Clegg and songs by Simon Heywood), X-church, Gainsborough 2008 Cells (with poems by Chris Jones), 20/21, Scunthorpe 2007 Ventis, Mayfair, London (on-line exhibition) 2007 After Nature, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield 2007 Traces, The Showroom, Sheffield 2006 Shroud, Persistence Works, Sheffield

Selected group/collaborative exhibitions 2012 All Things Bright & Beautiful (co-curated with Dominic Mason) 20-21, Scunthorpe 2012 Under the Sea, Millennium Galleries, Sheffield 2011 PW10, Persistence Works, Sheffield 2011 Bloc Assembly, Bloc, Sheffield 2011 We Are All In This Together, Bureau, Manchester 2010 namuh (with Humanstudio), Calm & Punk, Tokyo 2010 Origin010 (with Chris Jones and Humanstudio), Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery 2009 Journey to the Centre of the Earth, 20/21, Scunthorpe 2009 Off the Shelf, Saltburn Artist’s Projects, Saltburn-on-the-Sea 2008 Line Break, Site Studio, Sheffield 2008 Bloc Assembly, Sylvester Space, Sheffield 2007/08 60th Show, Bend in the River, Gainsborough 2007/08 Helvetica 50th Exhibition (touring exhibition with Kiosk Design), Espeis Gallery, New York, Design Museum, London etc. 2007 EPO (Exeter Phoenix Contemporary Open), Exeter 2007 Summer Exhibition, On Line Gallery, Southampton 2007 Here and Now, Persistence Works, Sheffield 2007 Lovers and Sweethearts, Pepperton Gallery, London 2006 Christmas Show, On Line Gallery, Southampton 2006 Winter, ArtWorks Gallery, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 2006 Symphony, Living Art, Hathersage 2006 Summer Show, On Line Gallery, Southampton 2006 Glory, The Workstation, Sheffield 1996 Festival of Mountain Art, Ambleside, Cumbria 1993 Group Exhibition, First Circle, Sheffield 1991 Joint Exhibition with Charlotte Allen, Merlin Theatre, Sheffield 1988 Joint Exhibition, Intercity, Manchester & Sheffield

Regular selected group exhibitions at Cupola Gallery, Sheffield have included: 2014 Process, 2012 Revelation, 2011 Here and Now, 2011 Artificial Light, 2010 Inspired by William Blake, 2009 Ice, 2009 Profile, 2008 Temptation, 2007 Summer Exhibition, 2006 Passion, 2006 Cupola 15th Anniversary Exhibition, 2006 Paint It Black, 2006 From the Heart, 2005 Treasure, 2003 Celestial, 2003 Unframed, 2003 Drawing, 2002 Think Different

Selected press & publications 2013 Nature Morte by Michael Petry (published by Thames and Hudson) 2011 Drawing Paper 4 2010 16 August Yorkshire Post 14 August Guardian Guide 2007 After Nature Exhibition Catalogue with poetry by Chris Jones 22 September Guardian Guide 2006 Shroud Exhibition Catalogue with an introduction by Robert Clark 17 June Guardian Guide (Pick of the Week No.5) 17 June Metro 10 June Guardian Guide 24 February East Meets West on the Canvas, Sheffield Telegraph

Grants & awards 2011 Arts Council England 2010 Leverhulme Trust 2009 Beacons for Wales (collaborative project with Cardiff University and National Museum Wales) 2008 Arts Council England 2007 Eyestorm Gallery Award for Painting 2006 Arts Council England 2006 Inspiral I-start programme

Public Commissions 2014 Gaze-Shift, University of Sheffield, Festival of the Mind 2014 Animal Acts, The National Fairground Archive 2013 The Song of Meeting and Parting, Bloc Projects Billboard Commission, Sheffield 2012 Animal Magic, University of Sheffield, Festival of the Mind 2012 Away from the Pod, Museums Sheffield 2011 Regions of Interest, Wales PETIC, Cardiff 2010 Histography, Cardiff University Cancer Genetics Building & Henry Wellcome Building, Cardiff

Artist’s residencies 2010 Artist in Residence, Cardiff University 2009 X-church, Gainsborough

Published Writing (selected) 2011 A Hands-on Experience: Marking Time in Magura – essay for Intervention: Magura Past and Present, edited by Steve Mills published by Renaissance, Bucharest, 2010 The Perfect Dinner Party: Kant, Darwin and Duchamp – paper presented at Transmission Hospitality Conference, Sheffield Hallam University, 1-3 July

Teaching (selected) 2013 Special Visiting Lecturer, Sheffield Hallam University 2006-014 Devised and led creative workshops and public engagement events for institutions including The BBC, Cardiff University, Yorkshire and Humberside Local Government, Sheffield City Council and CfBT Lincolnshire. 2006-011 Drawing/Painting Tutor Sheffield Galleries and Museums 2007/08 Associate Lecturer, Sheffield Hallam University