Joy of Britishness: regatta scenes captured on canvas

TWO paintings depicting scenes of Henley Royal Regatta will feature in a new exhibition on Britishness.

Artist Francis Salvesen is to show 100 works next month on the theme of “The joys of being British”.

The oils explore national pride, identity, the countryside and wildlife.

Mr Salvesen has been attending the regatta for more than 30 years and considers it to be a celebration of all things British.

He said: “I was taught how to row by my father and we used to go out on Scottish lochs to fish.

“I used to go to the regatta with my cousin Simon Thomson, whose grandfather was an Olympic rower, and watch the racing and enjoy the social atmosphere. It is very British, which I love.

“It’s nice to have a place that’s smart and I like a pint of Pimm’s every now and again. I love the sense of occasion — it is very joyful and happy, everyone is dressed up and smart and out to have fun and the rowing adds to that.

“There are certain rules and regulations that help to keep everything on a measured keel and so there is no bad behaviour.

“I have been to the regatta year after year and I have got friends who were at Shiplake College. I can still row and use a machine every day.” Mr Salvesen, who lives near Theale with his wife Amanda and their three children, painted Henley Stewards’ Enclosure (£2,275) and Royal Regatta Henley, Girl Watching Rowers (£750) using photographs he had taken as well as his imagination.

He said: “I take photographs of people at the events and places I go to and work from them but sometimes parts of them are imagined or invented.

“In the painting of the girl looking out on to the river, the boat was made up but it needed something in the background. I have never been on one of those boats at Henley but have always wanted to, so it was something that I had in my mind to be a part of it with all the flags.

“So you have the river itself and the girl gazing out, as one does sometimes if you are sat on your own gazing into oblivion.

“I thought that maybe she is looking at someone on the boat or on the other side of the river but you wonder what she is thinking.

“Sometimes I put myself into the mindset of the character while I’m doing it and I like the viewer to come up with their own interpretation. The painting actually started out with two girls talking to each other but one of them didn’t come out as attractive as I wanted her to be so I painted over her.

“That’s one of the wonderful things with painting, you can change things as you go along.”

Of the second picture, Mr Salvensen said: “When I go to the stewards’ enclosure I sit at the tables and drink my Pimm’s while the racing is going on.

“You can’t see any boats in this picture, which is on purpose because you are catching up with people chatting away.

“You can see the whole Henley experience in the picture as you can see some of the buildings in the background so it is much more definitive.”

Mr Salvesen, who is self-taught, said each painting took about five months to complete.  

He explained: “I work really slowly with a lot of detail and my paintings are very layered.

“Usually, I stop for a few days to let the oils dry so that I don’t smudge it when I go back and add more details. “

Other subjects of the exhibition paintings include an NHS nurse, traditions such as conkers and cheese rolling, native wildlife such as grouse and red squirrels and a portrait of the Princess of Wales.

• The Joys of Being British exhibition is at the Mall Galleries in London from March 13 to 18.