The twist and turns of Nicholas Jolly's figurative art at Harrogate gallery

A leading British contemporary artist with a hint of surrealism has a new show at an independent Harrogate gallery

Sugar Rush by British figurative artist Nicholas Jolly, who was also a co-founder of The Chap magazine, is a stunning collection of paintings featuring people, animals and everyday objects in distorted shapes and unexpected and often playful combinations.

The exhibition is being hosted by a gallery Jolly knows well - 108 Fine Art Gallery at 16 Cold Bath Road, Harrogate.

Since it was co-established in 1997 by Gillian Stewart with her partner, the late Andrew Stewart, 108 Fine Art has developed long-running partnerships with major and up-and-coming artists working in all areas of the visual arts, in particular, talented female artists.

Sugar Rush follows other successful shows by Nicolas Jolly over the past 20 years at 108 Fine Art.

Born in 1962, this London-based painter initially studied Fine Art at Gloucestershire College of Art.

Shortly after graduating, a self portrait was accepted for the John Player Portrait Awards at National Portrait Gallery in London, where it was bought by the art critic Brian Sewell.

This was to start a series of events that culminated in a widely publicized exhibition of Ten Young Painters of Promise, 1995.

Encouraged by his early success Nicholas spent three-years as a student at the Royal Academy, London, where he developed a growing affinity with a new generation of figurative painting coming out of Germany and Scotland.

Influenced by a period spent in the USA, Jolly developed an interest in vintage American magazines and their British 1950’s counterparts, such as Picture Post; portraying the formalized poses and contrived mannerisms of 1950’s advertising.

The artist’s colour, humour and detailed observation run throughout Sugar Rush, which will continue at 108 Fine Art until October 31.