LONDON.- Marlborough Fine Art presents ‘John Virtue: North Sea Paintings’, the first major exhibition by this distinguished artist to open in London in 5 years. In a striking departure from the huge paintings of London which formed the subject matter of his highly acclaimed exhibition at the National Gallery as Associate Artist in 2005, these new paintings take the vast, dark expanse of the North Sea as a central theme. Throughout his career, Virtue has always painted intensely the areas where he has lived. The move to the empty Norfolk coast at the beginning of 2009, after several momentous years painting the drama and excitement of London’s skylines, has proved incredibly fertile. For the last 18 months he has produced a significant body of work from large canvases to paintings of a few square inches and a group of monotypes. On the same day every week Virtue takes the same walk along the long f