Tennis in Cuba and Croatia, Art by Andrew Macara

Tennis Cuba

A bright yellow house. The sun, the heat, of Cuba. White clothes, brown skin, black hair. Two anonymous boys hit a tennis ball. Tennis in Cuba a victim of the Castro revolution. Hardly anyone played it for years. A simple, stark net divides the painting in half. Shadows everywhere help block out the sun.

Clay Court Tennis in Lapad, Croatia

I would rather watch this painted scene in Lapad, Croatia than the terrifying serves of Marin Cilic and Goran Ivanisevic, Croatia’s two grand slam champions. Most days now I prefer a simple house with windows, children at play on earth’s red clay, waves and waves of a skilled painter’s brushwork in mountains, in trees. Lapad, Croatia, a suburb of Dubrovnik, its sea waters as pure a see-through veil or jewel as any waters I’ve known. One of the many joys of Macara’s paintings is how they invite your imagination to travel the world.

Although art about tennis is a very small part of his entire output, Andrew Macara wrote me that he plays tennis 3 times a week in his hometown of Derby, England. I include below a sketch he sent me of tennis players. Cool stuff from a painter’s painter.

Artist Bio (from website): Andrew Macara studied contemporary modern British Art for a short period with Leonard Fuller at the St Ives School of Painting amongst the Cornwall Art Galleries but considers himself to be predominantly a self taught artist. He was elected in 1984 to the New English Art Club. Andrew Macara today has one of the most distinctive styles of present day contemporary British Artists. He is now established as a very collectible contemporary figurative artist and over the years his paintings have proved to be a good British Art Investment.

Andrew Macara travels extensively gathering images for paintings from around the world, but his native Derbyshire continues to feature in many paintings – particularly the Winter scenes. Other subjects with strong demand are Andrew’s British seaside paintings. Recently he has been exploring a new subject matter of reflections, involving a more abstracted painting style.

“I have known and admired the work of Andrew Macara for many years, both from his many one-man exhibitions and also his work so often seen in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Although he has painted many different subjects over the years, the subject is always incidental to light. his pictures glow and as with all the best paintings of light they never describe, they are always an equivalent for light – the light comes from the canvas. As well as being full of light they are also full of life. Whether it be life on the beach, in the playground, or in the zoo, he simplifies but always captures the essence of his subject, his work is full of movement, atmosphere and space. Andrew’s work is deservedly popular for he touches the everyday joy of life. His paintings celebrate life and show us a new way of seeing, this quality is that which underlies all true art.” KEN HOWARD. RA RWS RWA

You can learn more about Andrew Macara and see a slideshow of his work on his website. You can also follow him on Instagram.

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