5    THE ART OBSERVER June 2007 By Jonathan Drage Richard Clare, the artists who couldn’t resist the call of the Italian sun and went to live there a year ago, is coming back in October for his annual solo show at the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery. Richard and his family have settled very nicely into their new abode in the hillside village of Barga, not far from picturesque Tuscany. As Richard’s parents live in Sheffield, coupled with the fact that his many clients here in England are always eager to buy another painting by this vigorous artist, his presence here is guaranteed at least twice a year. The predominantly grey skies of Manchester are no competition for the deep blue skies and gold- en sunshine of Italy. As Richard is colour-blind the Italian light with its deep contrasts created by strong shadows provides greater visual stimulation. It also provides him with a more com- fortable working environment, allowing him more hours to paint in a climate that is both pleasant and predictable. It is a far cry from his studio in Saddleworth which, in the com- paratively cold English winters on the moors, can be a less than cosy environment. Richard has kept his studio in Saddleworth and uses it each time he comes to England. He still enjoys painting the bleak landscapes of Saddleworth and parts of Derbyshire as well as the urban scenes of England’s north west. Although the subjects may be bleak in reality, they never appear bleak in Richard’s paintings. Although colour-blind, and maybe in spite of it, he sees glorious colour where an ordinary man would say there is none. If Richard’s paintings of England are described as colourful, his Italian paintings may be seen as psychedelic. His wild interpreta- tion of colour knows no bounds. Examples of both his latest Italian and English paintings will be exhibited at the gallery in Didsbury during October. ESCAPE FROM THE SUN By Jennie Keegan I FIRST MET  James on one of his regular visits to the Wendy Levy gallery and instantly warmed to his charismatic personality and his enthusiasm for art. As conversations grew, I discovered that James in his own right is a talented artist and had gained an interesting and prestigious art C.V.   Born in Manchester, James gained a B.A and M.A in Fine Art at the then Manchester Polytechnic. This was a wonderful achievement but even more so because James had overcome a difficult start in life in order to follow his love of painting. He was born with cerebral palsy and deafness in both ears. James couldn’t walk properly until the age of four and wore clogs to strengthen his legs. Despite having weak eyes, he enjoyed painting and at nine years of age, won a prize for the best painting in an art show!   James went to a special school where his artistic talent was nurtured. On entering a Children’s Art Exhibition his work was selected to go on tour. Despite developing double vision at the age of nineteen, James was determined to continue with his painting.   He gained the Harold Riley Award twice, in 1975 and 1981, for the best painting in the Salford Art Club Show and on several occasions was accepted by the Royal Academy in London for its annual Summer Exhibition.  His work has been included in exhibitions at the Manchester City Art Gallery and the Royal Exchange Theatre. In 2001, James received the Millennium Award for designing a chair for disabled artists. The chair supports his arms whilst allowing them to move freely, enabling him to paint more easily. A prototype was constructed at Sheffield Hallam University and is now used at Merefield’s College for Disabled Students near Leeds. In May of this year, James exhibited his paintings at the Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool. The show was a great success and I feel certain we will be seeing more of James Robert Duncan in the near future. THE AMAZING JAMES DUNCAN The quiet streets of Martin Murrey’s Manchester THE MANCHESTER  artist, Martin Murrey, is working towards his next solo show which is due to take place in November of this year. He has become well known for his distinctive paintings of Manchester at night; his focus is not on the noisy nightclub queues or the lighted headlamps of busy taxis but on the stillness and quiet that is created by a glowing building, cushioned on a backdrop of darkness that has the appearance of dark blue velvet. The warmth and vigour is inside the building, illuminat- ing the windows and bursting out in the form of a halo whilst the onlooker is surrounded by inky stillness. Martin’s daytime paintings also focus on the buildings and the stillness of the streets. Perspective is not an issue, his subject is generally at the forefront of the painting subtly staring you in the face. His paint is applied thinly, sometimes with many layers, giving a flat, smooth surface to the finished piece. His work is not quick and spontaneous; each painting is a labour of love, waiting for each layer to dry before he can apply the next.   His solo exhibition is bound to be a delight. It can be seen, in November, at the Wendy J Levy Art Gallery in Didsbury. For more information contact the gallery on 0161 446 4880.