My first brush with art as a commercial endeavour occurred after I won 'The Poster of the Year' Prize at The London College of Art and Design in Clerkenwell for 1976/7. I was delighted to see my poster in tube stations on my way to college (see it in the Gallery). I then spent 25 years working in my family printing business producing advertising and graphics in many forms until Mrs Thatcher took on the Unions and property prices plunged, and banks foreclosed on businesses who's premises were valued roughly the same as their overdraft. Shame, as we had been trading very acceptably for 100 years and had 65 staff. After a vertiginous dive into a dungeon of despair and divorce, when I mostly lived in attics or basements, I re-emerged from the desolation with a somewhat new style.
Glass
I do not cover any of the items that we make, paint, and sell at Shows, Festivals, and other events on this site. There are just a couple of photos viewable of the more elaborately painted glass vases which I paint. But it does show what I did for the next 15 years, and still do.
Glastonbury
I exhibited for 20 years at the Glastonbury Festival and many of my regular buyers have become friends. I always painted large canvases which were displayed (and auctioned by bids) on my pitch. Very entertaining. No dust storm, tornado or deluge ever deterred Andy or I from opening our stand even though at times it seemed ludicrous to subject £10,000 worth of delicately produced glass and art to imminent meteorological disaster. Yet the most unexpected aerial onslaught was not weather related. Eros, the God of Love, in human form fell through the top of my gazebo from a passing carnival float and smashed £600 worth of my glass. Once the poor golden faced deity had mopped up a few wounds and picked up his broken bow, he disappeared off into the night and was never seen again. I have sold 50 or so large canvas commissions to festival goers featuring the arena. It's not my usual style but they are also viewable on the Gallery Page.
The Gambia
I'll keep this chapter of my life short, there are endless stories. I visit The Gambia for 3 months each January-April time where I paint all my mini-paintings. This year I came back with 300. I stay with three different Gambian families in three different compounds mostly in more remote areas. In the 40 years that I have been visiting I once raised £10,000 and built a bridge across a part of the river Gambia to an island which the villagers of Darsilameh wished to access for the production of rice and orchards. There is a picture here somewhere. On my recent visit I delivered 300 school uniforms to 3 very very needy schools. There have been countless other small direct aid deeds carried out in scholarships, small scale agronomy projects. I have a charity of which I am Chairman. For my work in Gambia I was awarded 'The Old Millfieldian of the Year Award' in 2002. Millfield is situated near Glastonbury.
Please can I thank the following, whose generosity bought much help and joy to so many during my most recent visit... Clive Butler & Henrietta Miles, Bob Lewis & Sheila Wilson, Wim Bushell, Geoff & Julia Scruton, Henry & Annabel Lang, Kate Jungius, Rob Gilbert, Tiger Dashwood, John & Debbie Lias.
Girls
I have also produced five wonderful girls called Anna, Chloe, Alicia, Amelia, and Olivia. I have about 9 grandchildren.
That's about it then ... better start some more paintings ...