AN award winning Devon artist exhibits in Tavistock for the month of August.

Robert Mountjoy, an elected member of the prestigious South West Academy, is showing 30 contemporary portraits at The Wharf Gallery in Canal Road from now until August 26.

‘The first 16 pictures were produced as illustrations for stories I had written and intend developing for a wider audience,’ says Robert, who was alerted to this exhibition opportunity through his membership of Creative Coverage, which represents selected professional artists and craftspeople.

‘I revisited the project last year but needed an elderly gentleman as a model for a central character; John Massey agreed to accept the role.

‘The first 17 portraits are youthful. The next 13 are much older. Painting Massey proved a challenge and I gave up on the idea of portraying him in the same style and just “went for it”. The experience inspired me to produce the next ten portraits of our mutual friends. These are on canvas on board. All of the subjects were firstly drawn in pencil and the completed paintings were completed using a combination of the drawings and some photographs.’

Robert has exhibited throughout the UK.