Artist Statement
Stuart Sutcliffe asked his best friend John Lennon what he thought of the painting he produced and sold in order to buy a guitar to become the original Beatles bass player. The reply was a simple one, “Hanging’s too good for it.”
So what makes art worth hanging or equally who makes art worth hanging?
As a teacher, I constantly tell my students to produce work they initially have an interest in, a passion for and an emotional connection with. I also follow my own advice and the artwork I create today uses my love for electronic gadgets, computers, the Internet and all this technology has to offer, combined with the passion for putting paint to canvas as a representation of my thoughts. With the irresistible pull of the female figure as a theme for study and the immediacy of digital photography manipulated and reproduced as a hand painted image, all have developed over the many years I have been drawing and painting. As one collector has said of my work, “I like his stuff because he paints like a computer. He works hard to create depth and form without using obvious traditional techniques.” By this I think he meant that I try to show three dimensional formulations using integrated dots as a form of blending harmonious colours. I endeavour to keep my work as controlled as possible, by not allowing myself to stray from the original manipulated image, only showing personal attachment through the marks within the thick acrylic paint, which is then sealed with a high gloss lacquer to enhance the peeks, swirls and pulls of the paint.
Qualifications
2000 Master of Arts in Education – University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk.
1994 Bachelor of Education with Honours – First Class – University of Greenwich, London.
Teaching Posts
2008 - Centre Manager, Stars Study Centre, King's Lynn, Norfolk.
2005 - 2008 Deputy Head Teacher, Fenland Junction School, March, Cambridgeshire.
2003 - 2005 Educational Needs Manager, Design, Wayland High School, Watton, Norfolk.
2000 - 2003 Head of Design, Technology & ICT, Meadowgate School, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
1994 - 2000 Head of Design & Technology, King Edward VII High School, King's Lynn, Norfolk.
Solo exhibitions
2006 Female Nudes - Hunstanton Town Gallery, Hunstanton, Norfolk
2005 Outdoor Exhibition – Waylandgames, Wayland Community, Watton, Norfolk.
2004 Portraits – Heritage, Swansea, Wales.
2003 Taster – The White Barn, Norwich, Norfolk
2000 Representations of Reality - Sainsbury’s Centre for Visual Arts (SCVA), Norwich, Norfolk.
Group exhibitions
2009 Small Works - Greyfriars Art Space, 43 St James Street, King's Lynn, Norfolk, England
2007 All Of Us – The Bar Gallery, Cardiff, Wales.
2006 We Paint You View – Castle Mall, Norwich, Norfolk.
Open exhibitions
2009 West Norfolk Artists Association Summer Exhibition, St Nicholas Chapel, King's Lynn, Norfolk, England
2007 West Norfolk Open Exhibition - Norfolk.
2006 West Norfolk Open Exhibition - Norfolk
Current exhibitions
2006-09 Various Work – Saatchi Internet Gallery – (UK)
2008-09 Various Work - Artists.de Internet Gallery (Germany)
2008 Member of WNAA - West Norfolk Artists Association - www.westnorfolkartists.org
2007 West Norfolk Open Arts Festival – Finalist - Norfolk
2006 West Norfolk Open Arts Festival – Winner - Norfolk. 2005 Wayland First Art Event & Auction – Winner of Highest Bid & Runner up of Most Sales.