LARGE canvases, bold shapes and vivid colours await you at Falmouth Art Gallery’s awe inspiring new exhibition, Take a Step Closer: Barrie Cook.

Since the mid-1960s Barrie Cook has pioneered the use of spray painting in fine art and has firmly established his reputation as one of the country’s most important abstract painters. His works are held in national collections including the Tate, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the Arts Council and the Government Art Collection.

He taught at Coventry College of Art, Cardiff College of Art, Birmingham Polytechnic and the University of Wales before moving to the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall in 1992.

Barrie’s "bold and magical paintings" are visually striking from a distance but take a step closer and you will discover his intricate forms and surprising colour combinations. When explaining his work, he says: "Painting is a way of thinking. Each picture requires its own special logic. I use paintings to hint at, or make manifest, the unseen and the intangible. I see them as an aid to contemplation and meditation."

The exhibition features a selection of work from throughout his distinguished career.

Take a Step Closer: Barrie Cook, can be seen at Falmouth Art Gallery from until January 20. Falmouth Art Gallery is open between 10am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday and admission is free. For information on this exhibition contact Donna Williams on 01326 313863 or email info@falmouthartgallery.com.