P. J. Crook
Encyclopedia
P J Crook MBE
(born 1945) is a British painter
. Although she has shown successfully in London
for many years, her work is perhaps better known in France
and America
, where she has a huge following. She also exhibits regularly in Japan
, Canada
, and Estonia
.
Art dealer Brian Sinfeld argues that Crook's work is akin to that of Balthus
and René Magritte
due to a shared tendency towards "surrealistic
works of static, quirky realism [that] belie a powerful mysticism lying below the surface'.
Crook was born in 1945 in Cheltenham
, England
, where she still lives.
From a studio opposite her house, she manages compositions on a monumental scale — paintings can measure 2 × 4.5 metres and also paints small pictures, some no larger than 10 cm square. She works in tinted gesso
, acrylic and sometimes in oil on canvas, or on a corrugated wood support, which gives a three dimensional effect to her work, as does her practice of incorporating the frame within the composition.
A recurring theme within her work is crowd interaction. Some of these paintings have been used as covers for King Crimson
's recent albums since 1997, this year's being 'A Scarcity of Miracles'. Alain Coudert writing in Arts Actualities Magazine, Paris
says of her work: "The world according to P. J. Crook is full of individuals losing their identities in a crowd, where they are packed tightly like sardines in a tin. But this is not sad, it is merely a symptom of an age which tends to walk on its head."
Crook is a Patron of the National Star College Cheltenham; a Trustee and director of ACS (the Artists' Collecting Society); Trustee of the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail Trust; Patron of Cheltenham Open Studios; a Gloucestershire Ambassador; President of the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum
; member of the Royal West of England Academy
; Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
. Honorary Doctor of Art from the University of Gloucestershire. She is a member of the Chelsea Arts Club
and the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire.
Crook was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
for services to art.
She is represented by the Hay Hill Gallery on Cork Street in London and Galerie Alain Blondel in Paris
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1945) is a British painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. Although she has shown successfully in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for many years, her work is perhaps better known in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she has a huge following. She also exhibits regularly in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
.
Art dealer Brian Sinfeld argues that Crook's work is akin to that of Balthus
Balthus
Balthasar Klossowski de Rola , best known as Balthus, was an esteemed but controversial Polish-French modern artist....
and René Magritte
René Magritte
René François Ghislain Magritte[p] was a Belgian surrealist artist. He became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images...
due to a shared tendency towards "surrealistic
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
works of static, quirky realism [that] belie a powerful mysticism lying below the surface'.
Crook was born in 1945 in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where she still lives.
From a studio opposite her house, she manages compositions on a monumental scale — paintings can measure 2 × 4.5 metres and also paints small pictures, some no larger than 10 cm square. She works in tinted gesso
Gesso
Gesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
, acrylic and sometimes in oil on canvas, or on a corrugated wood support, which gives a three dimensional effect to her work, as does her practice of incorporating the frame within the composition.
A recurring theme within her work is crowd interaction. Some of these paintings have been used as covers for King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
's recent albums since 1997, this year's being 'A Scarcity of Miracles'. Alain Coudert writing in Arts Actualities Magazine, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
says of her work: "The world according to P. J. Crook is full of individuals losing their identities in a crowd, where they are packed tightly like sardines in a tin. But this is not sad, it is merely a symptom of an age which tends to walk on its head."
Crook is a Patron of the National Star College Cheltenham; a Trustee and director of ACS (the Artists' Collecting Society); Trustee of the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail Trust; Patron of Cheltenham Open Studios; a Gloucestershire Ambassador; President of the Friends of Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum
Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum
Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire was opened in 1899. It offers free admission, and has a programme of special exhibitions....
; member of the Royal West of England Academy
Royal West of England Academy
The Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
; Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
Manchester Academy of Fine Arts
The Manchester Academy of Fine Arts is a society established in 1859 for the purpose of organising Annual Open Exhibitions in Manchester City Art Gallery, formerly the Manchester Institution...
. Honorary Doctor of Art from the University of Gloucestershire. She is a member of the Chelsea Arts Club
Chelsea Arts Club
The Chelsea Arts Club is a private members club located in London with a membership of over 2,400, including artists, poets, architects, writers, dancers, actors, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers...
and the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire.
Crook was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to art.
She is represented by the Hay Hill Gallery on Cork Street in London and Galerie Alain Blondel in Paris