Made In England

The exhibition showed how Fraser has gained inspiration from the magnificent setting of Lincoln Cathedral and how this inspiration translated into his work.

Who is Fraser Scarfe?

Fraser is a young artist from Lincolnshire (aged 22) who has always strived to promote the beauty of the county through his landscape work.

Artist, Fraser Scarfe

Over the past three years, he has exhibited widely throughout the county and won numerous awards. In 2008, Fraser was named Artist of the Year by the SAA (Society for All Artists).

After moving his studio to Lincoln at the end of 2007, he began looking for a new challenge that would connect him with the history and culture of the city itself and, at the start of 2008, Fraser was appointed Artist-in-Residence at Lincoln Cathedral.

Artist-in-Residence at Lincoln Cathedral

In May 2008, Fraser moved his studio into the Cathedral itself and began the daunting task of creating a series of work inspired by the building. The body of work presented at the Cathedral by Fraser (thirty-five oil paintings and forty drawings) is described as an exploration of the light that breathes life into the great building.

Part of the exhibition by Fraser Scarfe

It looks at the interplay between the hand-cut stones and mortar and the natural light that flows organically through the space, evoking such strong moods and emotions.  Fraser says, "The Cathedral is an incredibly daunting place to create artwork. I struggled initially to make anything work. However, after a while, I began to notice the building come to life."

"I am fascinated by the way light moves through the building during the day, injecting life and brilliance into some areas and darkening others. The light travels throughout the day - an unceasing, organic flow that highlights each individual and remarkable aspect of the Cathedral in turn. My work has aimed to capture this flow of light and if I can get anywhere close it conveying the power and presence it has, through painting, my time will have been well spent."

Lincoln Cathedral Community

During his time as Artist-in-Residence, Fraser has been keen to interact with the community and has held several workshops with artists and schools in the Cathedral.  The result of a large drawing project designed to gather drawings from members of the county were also on display at the exhibition.