Page 5 - Fine Art Commissions: Max Denison-Pender: Leaving Home

Introduction

There is something to be said about the beauty in a rose laid peacefully on a table, a sunset,
or a sunny beach. But what about the beauty in courage? This was the question that Max
Denison-Pender asked himself as he set out for the front lines of Ukraine on a mission to
capture the bravery and resilience of the people defending their homeland. It was there
that he was confronted with the image of courage in all shapes and forms. In the form of
a 22-year-old Ukrainian girl leaving her high paying bank job in America to join her sister
on the front line, risking her life day in and day out to protect her loved ones. Max believed
that, though scarred by the tragedy of war, these stories are beautiful ones, and should not
be ignored.

But how does an artist go about painting such beauty? Max’s painting style is largely
influenced by Carlos De Haes and John Singer Sargent’s ‘alla prima’ (wet on wet)
method. He believes in the notion ‘an artist must act like a sponge’, soaking up what
can be experienced in the moment, from conversations, what people are proud of, where
they’ve been that day, where they’re going and how they hold themselves. This forms the
conception of the painting. Furthermore, Max’s experience of painting from life honours
the truth of the stories he has depicted.

This exhibition offers a window into the lives of some of the bravest men and women Max
has ever met, who face terror every day, fighting for a cause much greater than themselves
– their home. We hope this exhibition brings you a taste of Max’s extraordinary journey, as
well as the courage and determination of the Ukrainian people desperately defending their
homeland. Proceeds will be donated to the Ukraine Charity.

Fine Art Commissions