Background
He is the son of social critic Victoria Gillick and theatre set designer Gordon Gillick.
He is the son of social critic Victoria Gillick and theatre set designer Gordon Gillick.
He works from his studio in Louth, Lincolnshire. He paints still-lifes, including game paintings, portraits, horse paintings, as well as church (building) re-ordering and gilding. Gillick gained a degree in Landscape Architecture from Cheltenham and Gloucester College in 1993.
James has an identical twin, the sculptor Theodore Gillick.
Using techniques that date back to the 17th century, Gillick handcrafts all the materials he uses within his studio. From the oil paints, waxes and glues, to the varnishes, canvases and stretchers.
He uses a limited palette of six colours plus black & white, having prepared the oils from ground pigments. The three quarter length portrait was commissioned by the University of Buckingham to commemorate her six years as the chancellor of Britain’s only private university.
Baroness Thatcher was, ‘absolutely delighted’ with her portrait and commented, ‘Can I thank the artist for doing the impossible – a kind portrait of me in a way I would like to be remembered.’ 2005 saw the completion of a portrait of Pope John Paul II commissioned by The Bishop of Nottingham, England, the Rt Review
Malcolm McMahon, Ordinis Prcpdieatorum = of the Order of Preachers (Dominican Ecclesiastical Title) The portrait now hangs in the Lady Chapel at Street Barnabas" Cathedral in Nottingham and an identical copy tours the country’s parishes on request. Further commissions include the Most Review M. Couve de Murville, Archbishop of Birmingham in 1999.
An example of church restoration work by James and his family can be seen at the church of Street Gregory and Street Augustine in Summertown, Oxford, the parish church where J. R. R. Tolkien was a parishioner.
James has exhibited at Jonathan Cooper’s Park Walk Gallery, London since 2000 and his work has been included in several mixed exhibitions including. Royal Institute of Oil Painters, Mall Galleries and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters also at the Mall Galleries.
His work is exhibited at art fairs including. Olympia Fine Art and Antiques Fair, BADA British Antiques and Fine Art Fair and the London Art Fair.
James exhibits annually at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the College Language Association Game Fair and the Burghley Horse Trials.
