I was born in Sheffield and was very young when I first realised that I wanted to be an artist. My father taught Art and showed me the basics. Our house had prints of paintings on many of its walls. The ones I particularly remember are ‘The Card Players’ by Cezanne, ‘The Laughing Cavalier’ by Frans Hals, and works by Gauguin, Turner and Constable. Also my Uncle Frank was a talented painter and we had some of his original paintings on the wall, which I would look at for hours. I went to see a Van Gogh exhibition at the age of five or so and that has had an everlasting effect on me, so I was introduced to great art at a very early age.

When I was 14 years old I won a painting competition organised by the Yorkshire Post and the RAF.  I had 5 paintings selected for an exhibition at the Finningley Air Show and won a day out with the RAF, which was very exciting. I then also won another competition a year later for a painting based on the old and modern buildings in Sheffield.

I guess it was kind of inevitable that I would go on to study art; as I never really considered anything else.  After completing my Art Foundation Course in Rotherham, I went on to study at Hull College of Art, where I obtained a degree in Fine Art (Painting).  Hull in the 1970’s was a really vibrant place to be a creative; and to develop as an artist or a musician.  It was the era of Punk and New Wave and all the up and coming bands came to Hull.  I was even the vocalist/songwriter myself in the seminal ‘Liberace Coughs Up Blood’. We even made a vinyl single that was played on The John Peel Show.  I lived in Hull for 9 years, firstly as a student and later on as an artist with my own studio, working alongside a group of other artists.  We formed our own artists’ association and held our own exhibitions. We also took part in exchange shows with other artists’ groups around the world, notably Japan, Holland and the U.S.A.

I moved back to Sheffield about 10 years ago when I met my wife (The Third Eye). After that, I began exhibiting in the area, including at the ‘Great Sheffield Art Show,’ one of the biggest art shows in the North of England. I still exhibit there and also show my work at an event called ‘Art in the Botanical Gardens, Sheffield.’  I show my work each spring at an open studio event ‘Open Up Sheffield,’ where artists open their studio over two weekends for the public to visit.

I have also shown my work at various open art exhibitions, where I have won numerous awards over the years, including ‘Commended and Highly Commended at the South Yorkshire Open;’ ‘Highly Commended at the Rotherham Open;’ ‘Gold Award’ and ‘Best in Show at the Botanical Gardens exhibition.’

It’s a big and visually interesting world and there can never be a shortage of ideas for paintings in my mind.  I constantly see the potential for a painting wherever I may be. I always carry a sketchbook and pencil and do lightning sketches of anything that grabs my attention.  I also carry my digital camera with me all the time so that I can capture an image instantly and print it out as soon as I get back to the studio.

The thing that keeps me motivated is always wanting to get better and better at painting. I want to move on all the time, learning from everything that I’ve done. I want every painting to contain a new discovery; so I want to avoid repetition. I feel that I am developing but have far to go and much to learn and one day I may create the painting I envisage in my imagination. I tell myself; ‘keep painting and the magic will come’, and my motto is: ‘if you don’t change your direction, you may end up where you were headed.’

Overall, I would say that the best thing is being able to make a living by doing what I love to do.

Artists who particularly inspire me are: Turner, Constable, Van Gogh, Ivon Hitchens, Edward Hopper, John Piper, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Whistler, Matthew Smith, Odilon Redon, and Howards Hodgkin.

I usually begin a day’s painting session by working on a number of sketchbook studies before getting stuck into the big stuff.  This helps me to loosen my painting arm and helps me to quickly get down any new ideas on paper.  I work on a number of paintings at a time for a series.  I will start by loosely drawing in the composition with two or three diluted colours.  I love this stage, seeing the paint run and the emergence of a new painting.  I sometimes have the canvas hanging on the wall letting the paint run down, sometimes turning it on its side or upside down to regulate the flow of paint.  Sometimes I’ll have the painting flat on the floor, working around it and from above.  I use many palette knives and brushes, pieces of cut and shaped card, even my fingers.  I love combining texture, glazing, splashing and drips. 

A painting can change so much during the course of its development.  I really don’t know how the finished work will look.  This always fascinates me, the idea of not knowing how a painting will end up.  I’m often asked ‘how do I know when a painting is finished?’ I think it’s important not to overwork a painting as it is so easy to lose the freshness, vitality and the unintentional spontaneous elements that occur during the creation of a painting.  Quite often I look at what I consider a finished work and wonder how I did it.  I get this feeling, when looking at other artists’ work that I admire, how did they do that?  I guess that’s the magic and the mystery of painting that I love.

Whenever possible, I like to start the day by getting out really early to experience the morning light.  Because I live nearby I love walking in the Peak District, along places like Stanage Edge before anyone else gets there.  I like the wide-open space and the sounds of nature and the big skies.  It helps me see things in a whole new way.  It clears my mind and keeps me moderately fit.  As they say, a healthy body, a healthy mind.  I will then return to my studio and take stock of the previous day’s work over a cup of tea. 

I go through many states of mind throughout the day as I get absorbed in my work.  I will often play music while I paint. I love all sorts of music including classical, jazz, punk, psychedelic, techno, avant garde and indie.  Sometimes I like to hear voices, so I will listen to audio books.  And sometimes I need complete silence. 

I then work on my paintings throughout the day until the daylight fades.  If I’m on a roll and want to carry on painting, I may work into the night under halogen lighting but you can’t beat natural daylight.  At the end of the day I will unwind with a couple of pints of real ale and an evening meal cooked by my Third Eye, listen to some music and maybe play a game of scrabble. 

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