I was born in 1949 in the small South Wales town of Brynmawr,Gwent, where my artistic interests were first noticed and encouraged by a very supportive art teacher, Ken Jones, at the local grammar school. During this time, due to his support, I won national art prizes and exhibited in places such as Carnaby Street in the ‘swinging sixties’ and also in Geneva, Switzerland.
On leaving school, I trained at the West of England college of Art, Bristol, Cardiff College of Art and Cardiff University. I then taught at St Illtyd’s College, Cardiff until moving into the management of adult education for a number of local authorities in South East Wales. This became my full time occupation for many years. Like any other family man, I had to earn a living and could only paint on a part time my own purpose, in my own way, regardless of trends or prejudices. Fortunately, this has proven to be very successful and enabled me to explore a completely new career as a full time professional artist.
I work from a studio in myis native town of Brynmawr and continue to appreciate the direct links with my ‘origins’ which provide the stimulation for the majority of paintings. These combine elements of the everyday landscape with complex emotional values, giving my work a personal quality. This is enhanced by myparticular style of painting on heavily textured canvas.
I like to think my expressive forms are distinctive, yet allow a degree of personal interpretation. The atmospheric qualities created often serve to stimulate the imagination and memory of others. My paintings tend to reflect the mood or atmosphere of events and locations, rather than being a purely pictorial representation. They are about my thoughts and memories, illustrated with references to the places I know so well.
Although most of my paintings have personal recollection and experience as their foundation, they are ‘generalised’ in a way which makes their appeal extremely wide -ranging. I often find myself linking past events with the development of my paintings and using familiar imagery to reinforce the connection.
Often people consider that my work represents some elements of the style of the American artist Edward Hopper combined with some of the sentiments of Dylan Thomas.
''THE MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD HAVE NO ORDER....AND NO END'' : Dylan Thomas.
Like most people I have come to appreciate what I prefer and consider that the images created adequately represent my taste. Painting has become a further means of expression which enables me to share with others my own view or understanding of a personal experience. This is an ideal form for communicating some of the qualities of life which I particularly appreciates as having influenced me.
The story behind each picture is an essential element in understanding the way in which the image represents nostalgia for my past I have lived, grown and worked has provided a constant source of inspiration and is visually stimulating. Through painting I am able to share mys interpretation of this environment with an increasing international audience. The individual style of painting and insistance on quality, has led to an increased demand.
Fortunately, my work has steadily risen in value and continues to do so. New paintings are eagerly anticipated by an avid group of collectors and enthusiasts, regularly being sold out within a day or even hours.
Many now regard these paintings as sound investment opportunities for the future. In order to cater for the needs of a much wider audience and to demonstrate the diversity of my skills, mys paintings include nostalgic Welsh landscape, industrial and fairground art.
A selected limited edition range of is published by leading fine art publishers Senecio Editions of Oxford, UK.
Supply of originals is limited, due to demand or private commissions. They are available on a strictly ‘first come’ basis, due to an ever increasing waiting list. Inclusion in any exhibition, therefore, needs to be planned in advance in order that work can be made available as required.