DECORATION FOR LIFE

FINALLY: I loved the Road and the Transport Comrades I was lucky enough to work with. Also the Craft of Picture Making. I don't follow trends or copy anyone - just do my own thing. A jobbing workman, with good quality materials. I learnt by studying Modern Art, say from 1890 on, in books and at galleries - looking more at the paintings than the artists, eg. Danseuse No 5, by Gino Severini. And other colourful pictures by gallery artists such as - Pierre Bonnard, Kandinsky, Klee, Monet, Nolde. All the Stained Glass work by Irish Colourist/Technician Harry Clarke, like "Song of the Mad Prince". Or Geoff Taylor, British Colourist/Technician. And technicians N.C. and Andrew Wyeth. The Artist I probably admire the most is Fairground Decorator, "The Master" Fred Fowle, from Battersea. And for inspirational pure Decorative Art and Craftwork it has to be that from Iran/Persia. (& the Middle East). Painting comes from the heart. It all starts with the original idea and title. Colour is the main thing. Paul Klee said -"to paint well is to put the right colour in the right place" - And I like to see Melody in a picture. As for the rest - well, even if you've been around the block a few times you are still learning!

For me it's a mix of 3 things:

PORTRAITURE - showing the Beauty of something, anything, important to you.

ILLUSTRATION - telling a story, or explaining a bit of what you know.

But above all, DECORATION - why you hang up a picture in the first place.

"Decoration for Life" I was told at 16 years old. I never believed that then - but now 65 years later I'd say that's it, in a nutshell!