About the artist
Colin Halliday
Born 1964 – Carlisle, Cumbria
1989-92 BA Honours Fine Art, Exeter, Devon
Colin Halliday is a contemporary British artist known for his vibrant and expressive landscape paintings. Born in Carlisle, Cumbria, in 1964, Colin grew up in a rural environment that significantly influenced his artistic vision. His early life in the picturesque surroundings of Northern England instilled in him a deep appreciation for nature, which later became the central theme of his work.
​
Colin’s talent and passion for art were evident from an early age, and his formal education in art laid the groundwork for his future career. After completing his foundation course, Halliday went on to study painting at Exeter College of Art and Design, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art in 1992. ​
During the early years of his career he pursued his interest in contemporary art in London, a period marked by his exploration of different styles and subjects. Initially, his work reflected his concern for the destruction of our environment. However, a turning point for Colin’s work came when he created a seascape from his imagination, and couldn’t take his eyes​
off it. "This was a profound moment for me because I realised that art doesn’t have to be about meaning. In fact, it was more important that the application was beautiful.". Gradually, he started to paint what was around him in the City of London.
By 2000, Colin’s work was selling well and his shows and gallery exhibitions were increasing, so he left his part time job to go full time with his art. In 2005, motivated by a longing to reconnect with his landscape roots and to find a better environment to raise their children, Colin and his family relocated to Derbyshire. After constructing a studio and spending a few years painting indoors, he realized he needed to start painting outdoors.​
​
It took another six years of trial and error with various methods before he found his path into Plein Air painting. Finally, in 2012, he experienced a breakthrough that led him to simplify his palette, paint while standing, and use generous amounts of pure oil paint.
​
His landscapes are characterised by their rich color palettes and a distinctive impasto technique, where paint is applied thickly to create a textured surface. This approach gives his paintings a tactile quality, inviting viewers to experience the landscape not just visually but almost physically. Colin’s technique is both expressive and dynamic, capturing the changing moods of the UK countryside in a way that has established him as a significant figure in contemporary British art.
​
Over the years, Colin has exhibited extensively across the UK, with solo exhibitions in galleries in London, Edinburgh, and throughout the North of England. His work has been well received by collectors and critics alike. Some famous names including Helen Mirren and Adrian Lester are amongst his collectors. Colin is listed in Who's Who in Art guide.
​Today, Colin Halliday continues to live and work in the Peak District, where he draws inspiration from the natural world around him. His paintings are a testament to his enduring passion for the landscape and his skill in bringing it to life on canvas.
Colin has had many solo shows and numerous group shows across the UK, in addition to being represented by galleries at many art fairs. Some of his solo show highlights include:
2003-2017
Annual shows at GX Gallery, London
June 2002
The Beautiful South, Simply Nico, London SE1
June 2001
The Lost Wilderness, Blyth Gallery, Manchester
July 2000
The Twenty First Century Landscape, Sutton House, London
April 2000
A Retrospective, The Walk Gallery, London
February 1999
Landscape in consciousness, London and continuing in June at Grey College, Durham
April 1997
Fools Paradise, Camberwell, London
February 1994
Somehwere Between Preservation and Destruction, Carnegie Arts Centre, Workington
May 1987
Chequers Restaurant, Chalk Farm Road, London