Chris Neate
Chris Neate (b.1954) has been developing his style of drawing since his late teens. During the 1970s he attended Art College in Leeds but never completed a foundation course nor did he feel he was given any formal training. During his time working as a hospital social worker with older people Neate sporadically drew, and this need to draw has intensified over the years.
Whilst creating, Neate has no idea or plans of what will appear on the page, with his work being described as ‘automatic drawing.’ He believes that the act of drawing balances him and keeps him calm. Working from intuition, his drawings flow freely and Neate can lose himself in his pieces for hours, without suffering fatigue. Each piece can take up to ten days to complete. Neate starts anywhere on the piece, but then always anchors it to an edge before going back and working into it more. Known for his black and white work, colour rarely makes an appearance.
Neate’s work is best viewed with a magnifying glass so that the intricate detail can be fully appreciated. His more delicate pieces are created when he is in a lighter mood, and the heavier marks are made when he feels distracted. He often works on board as he says the harder surface allows the ink to flow better. Upon finishing pieces, Neate spends time studying them to try and work out the meaning of what he has produced.
EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS
2019 Art & Spirit: Visions of Wonder, College of Psychic Studies, London
2019 Outsider Art Fair New York, Metropolitan Pavilion
2017 Blinko & Neate: Unlocking Worlds, Pop Up exhibition, London 2016 Outsider Art Fair Paris, Hotel du Duc
2016 Encounters with the Spirit World, College of Psychic Studies, London
2013 Bold Vision: Outsiders in Black and White, Julian Hartnoll Gallery, London
