Alstom has named Nottinghamshire painter Tim O’Brien as the artist in residence for The Greatest Gathering, part of the Railway 200 celebration. The festival will be held in Derby from 1-3 August 2025, showcasing over 50 railway exhibits. O’Brien aims to artistically capture the event’s atmosphere en plein air. All tickets for the event have sold out.
Alstom has appointed Tim O’Brien, a painter from Nottinghamshire, as the official artist in residence for The Greatest Gathering, a three-day festival in Derby. This event is part of the Railway 200 celebration, which commemorates the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825, marking the birth of the modern railway.
Visitors to The Greatest Gathering will witness Tim painting outdoors, capturing the essence of the event, including the rolling stock and architecture. Tim expressed his gratitude, stating, “I feel very privileged and honoured to be invited by Alstom to be their official artist in residence and capture this bicentennial celebration in art.”
He highlighted the challenge of plein-air painting amidst a multitude of subjects, noting the need for focus and simplification: “I will have to quickly focus on a view and simplify it, so it becomes a study of colour and atmosphere.”
Tim, 55, has a diverse art background, transitioning from advertising illustration to fine art in the mid-1990s. His experience spans military history and various public occasions, having collaborated with both the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
His artworks have been showcased in prestigious venues, including the Mall Galleries in London. Tim’s first solo exhibition in 2015 at the Royal Air Force Club led to a significant commission for 25 paintings for permanent installation there.
The Greatest Gathering will take place on 1-3 August 2025 at Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane Site in Derby. The event will showcase more than 50 rolling stock exhibits from the railway’s history and will open to the public after nearly 50 years. All tickets have sold out.
Tim O’Brien’s appointment as the artist in residence for The Greatest Gathering reflects the significant cultural celebration of the railway’s bicentennial. His expertise in plein-air painting promises to capture the vibrant atmosphere of this historic event. With over 50 exhibits on display, the festival is set to be a landmark occasion in railway history, although tickets are already sold out.
Original Source: news.railbusinessdaily.com