What is your creative process like?
Gradual absorption of something of importance, before some
explosive action of paint, seems to be my way. I think I'm more
like a sponge with an inexhaustible state when receiving altered
perspectives or views of life. So, I select the most interesting
thoughts in my brain, examine them, rethink them and finally
select all of them as a reasonable truth. Then I paint and paint
and paint again, until I have the whole array of the various
truths merging into one or sets of visuals. I don't think there is
one single answer to anything,
As I understood, you exhibited at the Portland Canal
Museum, Tell us about this experience.
It was an open public celebration for 'Canal-Boat' day in
Manchester UK.
The Museum had asked the Arts Council to find an Artist
who could produce a live demonstration of a painting of the
Canal in one day. I knew the Museum well, as it wasn't far
from where I was born, so I agreed to do the 'demo' out of
nostalgia. It dawned on me later that I had never experienced
being watched when painting, so it was with trepidation that I
set about the task. I tend to paint with headphones anyway, so
I have worn them on the day and got stuck into the painting.
Never once looking anywhere else but at the work for about 4
hours. I signed the work, took my headphones off, stood back
to look at the work, before turning round to see a large crowd
of people staring at me. No one said a word to me, until a little
boy (who was pushed forward, by his mother, probably), came
up to me and said
“That's a great drawing mister.” And that was my one and
only well received a comment or asked for reward. Somehow,
that single experience will be one of my lasting memories and
the source of a huge and broad smile, every time I think of it.
What can you tell us about the special technique you use?
Is it based on a photograph you enlarge?
No, I don't copy images. I honestly don't see the point of
making any art like that.
I do love photography ever since my art college days in
- But much of my work comes from memories of reality,
reassembled into a studied thought process. I do still make
sketches of course. Most times I just load a brush and make a
fast image, as a sort of reminder to look at a thread or concept
for sometime in the future. I suppose, you could say my
technique is arranged to be non-specific, so as to not interfere
with the creative process rather than to follow a rigid set of self
imposed rules that are in themselves restrictive. I tend to work