Rex Preston was born in Birmingham in 1948. At school he always enjoyed art lessons and spent much of his time painting and drawing. In his teens, Rex Preston was accepted at Newcastle-under-Lyme School of Art on the strength of his sketchbooks and then went on to study at Derby College of Art.
After college, Rex Preston was employed as a designer at a Printers in Derby. In his own time he always continued to paint and soon began to sell many of his paintings. At the age of 21, Rex decided to take-up painting full-time. His early paintings featured a variety of subjects, but his interest in the countryside naturally led him towards landscape painting. Today he is one of the country's leading landscape artists with a national and international reputation.
Rex Preston is inspired by the true colour of nature but also draws inspiration from the great masters, notably Monet’s later work, Constable’s oil sketches and Turner's atmospheric effects of light and colour. These influences together with his continuous observation of nature have culminated in Preston's loose semi-abstract style.
The style of Rex Preston's paintings was not a result of a conscious decision. His natural style just evolved over the years. However, one constant influence of Rex's paintings has been living by a river in a beautiful part of Derbyshire and as a result experiencing nature's changing moods at first hand. Rex Preston get his inspiration from the landscape and loves to paint everything from the moody, mountainous landscapes of Scotland to the beautiful spring flowers on the cliffs in Cornwall. Each year Rex goes on many painting trips around the country, either finding new areas to paint or revisiting favourite areas like Cornwall. In recent years Rex has added Norfolk and Pembrokeshire to his list of favourite locations.
Rex Preston never accepts commissions, which leaves him free to paint whatever he wants with enthusiasm. He has always had a fascination with wild, unspoilt areas and spends as much time as possible out in the British countryside searching for subjects. When the weather allows, Rex paints out on location. He is drawn colourful scenes with interesting light and reflections. Many of Rex's paintings are started as sketches which he finds helpful to quickly record fleeting light effects and atmospheres, often in showery weather when it would be impossible to paint. Back in his studio, his sketch will remind him of what really inspired him and, together with his memory and imagination, will give him all Rex needs to complete the painting. Most of Rex's larger paintings are done from sketches, as they are too big to paint on location, but Rex surrounded himself in his studio with his plain-air paintings to help with the colour.
Speaking about his paintings Rex Preston says: 'I spend as much time as possible out in the countryside whatever the weather searching for subjects. When the weather allows it, I paint out on location and just walk until something takes my eye. Quite often I don’t know what I am looking for, but it usually involves colour, light and reflections. Sketching is also very useful to quickly record fleeting light effects and atmospheres of the countryside. Often in showery weather when it is impossible to paint, a sketch can record the changing skies and light effects. The most incredible effect might only last for a few minutes, but with a pencil and sketchbook, I can capture enough to be able to paint it later. Back in the studio, my sketch will remind me of what really inspired me and, together with my memory and imagination, will give me all I need to complete the painting.'
Although Rex Preston has painted in watercolour and acrylic, he always return to oils as his preferred medium. In addition to Red Rag Modern British Art Gallery Rex Preston art work has been exhibited at other leading British Art Galleries. Each painting at Red Rag is sourced from the Rex Preston artist studio and like all Red Rag Modern art and Contemporary art it can be promptly shipped worldwide.
