The Marshal - Oil on panel, 330mm x 375mm
Beau II - Oil on panel, 455mm x 325mm
Ken Tye - Oil on illustration board, 350mm x 290mm
Whether by accident, or design, I’ve managed to stay within some type of creative role my entire career. After leaving art school, I followed the path of graphic design and have stayed connected to that ever since. There have been a couple of departures, one as an offset litho printer and another as college print technician, but my heart has always been with visual communication. I’ve been fortunate to encounter many creative areas, including jewellery, photography, garment design, a variety of print processes, advertising and marketing, fine art, needlework, typography and illustration.
In 2008, after years contemplating ‘giving it a try’, I took up oil painting as a way of relaxing. After a couple of attempts of getting to grips with the process, I found the medium really suits me and I now paint as often as I can. Primarily, I like to paint people, though the challenge of painting anything excites me. I consider my work contemporary realism because I like to paint stuff to look like stuff.
Since leaving my regular job at a small advertising agency in 2002, I’ve worked from my garden studio where I can watch the birds.
2020
Prize Exhibition 2020, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham
2019
RBSA Portrait Prize Exhibition, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham - Winner of the GMC Trust First Prize
Friends Exhibition, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham
Open All Media Exhibition, RBSA Gallery, , Birmingham
LSA Annual Exhibition 2019, New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester- Winner of the Zest-It Oil Painting Prize
Leicester Open, New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, Leicester - Winner of The Attenborough Award
2018
RBSA Portrait Prize Exhibition, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham
Pete Underhill Blog - https://peteunderhillart.com/blog/
Pete Underhill Shop - https://peteunderhillart.com/shop/
Mother’s Day
Beau IV
Lewis Distilled
Chopper - A Portrait of Flynn Beltane, 2018
Waiting for Leo
Naughty Sugar, A portrait of Hannah Matthews, 2014
Tom, Dick & Harry
The Engine Builder
The Performer, A Portrait of Emily-May
Spider II and Mister Spencer
Duxford Dozer
John Bradbury
Noel Runnels-Moss
Mr Runnels-Moss - study
Hugh Girvan – Study
Andy Bradshaw - Study
Sesame Study
Ken Tye II