archive
I became disabled at 33, losing the use of my left side. As a working-class man, I needed to earn money and hated the idea of being unemployed. I taught myself to paint simply so I could teach painting as a living. I know commerciality is unfashionable, but my need to support my family has the merit of sincerity.
By 2016, I had earned enough money to paint creatively and went on to create the works you see on this website - but that’s not the full story. Some of the paintings I made along the way are here.
Selected Archive
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2004
By 2004, I’d taught myself rudimentary classical painting as I admired the early works of Girtin, Turner and Ruisdael. Teaching this allowed me to launch my own painting school. I learned by reading National Gallery technical bulletins, which were expensive but a good investment, and visiting galleries in my wheelchair until I learned to walk.
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2004-2015
Colour is tricky, and it took me a decade to learn. Along the way, I taught a lot of Luminism, Tonalism, and Impressionism. To my surprise, I was recruited to write for The Artist and Artists & Illustrators, authoring over 100 articles, as they were free advertising for my tuition.
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2016-23
Chronology imposes its own rhythm. As I taught more post Impressionism, my studio practice turned to first Modern, then Contemporary work. As this attracted awards and public gallery shows, my teaching and studio practice converged; I joined the Royal College of Art.