PORTSMOUTH.- This selling exhibition of paintings and drawings by Jules George runs until 8 March 2015 at The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth. During the last three years artist Jules George accompanied the Royal Navy on board the Type 23 ‘Duke’ class frigate HMS Argyll and the ‘Trafalgar’ class submarine HMS Tireless, and recorded his experiences in paint. The Arts Council funded exhibition aims to celebrate the work of the men and women of the Royal Navy and whilst it looks to the past, prices range from £300 - £8,000.

Through careful observation George documented the movements and actions of the Royal Marine boarding teams and engineers in studies and drawings. These studies are accompanied by paintings, which reflect the artist’s vivid experiences at sea and his admiration for the life and conditions of sailors.

Featured in the exhibition, George’s painting HMS Argyll (Strait of Hormuz) depicts the marines standing alert and on defence watches. Whilst George was aboard HMS Argyll, Iran was threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, HMS Argyll was often harassed by Iranian navy patrol boats and on one occasion a ‘go-fast’ (fast motor boat) came at the ship. Fearing the potential of a suicide bomber the ship made evasive manoeuvres and after sounding her horns, fired warning flares, but it was only when the starboard gunner was on the point of being ordered ' to fire across her bows' did the boat turn away.

Another highlight in the exhibition, is George’s depiction of HMS Tireless, illustrating a moment of calm before the submarine left for the Atlantic. The watercraft’s immense power lies dormant in the floating dock, and the serenity of the scene is emphasised through the stark interior of the jetty which, for security reasons, George was asked not to record in detail.

The collection includes George’s original studies and drawings, as well as the subsequent paintings. Whilst much of George’s work records the interior and exterior of the vessel, others depict sailors working onboard. The images below illustrate sailors tending to the ship out at sea and the maze-like interior of HMS Argyll.

‘Alongside the everyday tasks of the crew, drawing or painting at sea was often a challenge. I had to adapt to a variety of situations - in the Falklands one piece was lost overboard! I hope the works in this exhibition convey the raw conditions and hardships faced by the Royal Navy sailors and ultimately pays respect to their lives spent at sea, both past and present,’ commented artist George Jules. The National Museum of the Royal Navy are extremely grateful to the Arts council for their generous funding.

Artist Jules George will be talking personally about the exhibition and his experiences that led to the creation of the body of work on Thursday 26th February between 6pm and 7pm.

Jules George specialises in reportage and has travelled to the West Indies, Southern Africa and undertaken a series of trips through India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In February 2010 George was sponsored, and officially sanctioned, by the MOD to visit Afghanistan as a war artist with the 11th Light Brigade. The work produced as a result culminated in a large and highly publicised exhibition ‘Into the Valley: scenes of an Afghan Conflict’ shown in Bonhams, New Bond Street, London in 2011.