An artist inspired by the films of Croydon-hailing director David Lean will be talking about and signing his work at Bluewater this weekend.

Work by Jeff Rowland – known for his romantic and cinematic paintings – is currently on display at the Castle Galleries, Bluewater.

The collection, called A Brief Encounter, gives fleeting glimpses into seemingly romantic encounters – a train-station clinch amid atmospheric steam, an ambiguous taxi waiting in the rain (is it a lover coming or going?) and a trench coat-sporting couple huddled beneath an umbrella during a downpour.

“Just like watching a film on the big screen, my paintings are simple yet realistically honest and have an expansive quality which gives you the feeling of sitting in the front row seat in the cinema,” said Jeff.

He added: “Although each picture is full of romantic connotation, they may not always paint a happy ending. As much as each couple could be hopelessly in love, they could also be portraying a couple entangled in an illicit affair, with all its passions and destructive power. I let the people viewing my paintings decide what the ending will be.”

Jeff Rowland appears at Castle Galleries Bluewater on Nov 9 1pm to 4pm. His exhibition remains until Christmas.