Here is the most recent paintings i have produced. Most of the works focus on portraiture as these were created in response to the ‘Creative Connections’ exhibition currently on display at the Millennium Gallery Sheffield.
‘Where’s tha been?’ 2022. Acrylic on bus tickets, H13.9 x W11.4cm.
This piece has been dedicated to a project I am currently working on in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery , Sheffield Museums and Sheffield Park Academy (a school from an under-represented area of Sheffield). Coincidentally I attended the school for a year whilst enlisting on a sports studies course in 6th form, it is also located on the council estate i grew up on
The sitter I chose is 'Paul' an old friend who was my next door neighbour and whom I shared many experiences with growing up on Sheffield council estates. The symbolism between Paul and the bus tickets reflects on our times spent traveling to school and around the city, it also refers to our journeys through life and ultimately the reunion with an old friend.
‘Lady from Mars’ , 2022. Acrylic on Mars bar wrapper, w22 x h4.8cm.
‘Lady from Mars’ is another painting created for my current exhibition ‘Creative Connections’. Part of the project is to respond to the works of arts featured in gallery collections all of which are related to inspirational People connected to Sheffield.
During the research for the project I discovered Helen Sharman (lady from Mars) who was the first person from the UK to go into space. Her story and connection to Sheffield deserves recognition and tied in well with the base of my practice. She lived in Grenoside, studied at the university of Sheffield and won a prize draw to train in Russia as an astronaut in the hope of traveling to the international space station to which she accomplished - earning her the recognition of being the first person from the United Kingdom travel to outer space. Another key point within this work was that she worked for Mars Bar as a chemist at the time she won the prize, hence the ironic title from national media 'Lady from Mars'.
‘The spirit of equal measure’ 2022. Acrylic and pen on paper, w21 x h29.7cm
The third painting i created in response to the ‘Creative Connections’ exhibition. The subject depicted is Yuen Fong Ling artist, university lecturer, teacher and friend. I have dedicated this piece to Yuen as he played a huge role in my own development as an artist. From being one of his students at art school to then becoming a fellow artist on the Freelands residency program. To this day he remains Inspirational and very supportive.
Whilst I have selected Yuen here, the work is actually also dedicated to Edward Carpenter a revolutionary poet, activist and philosopher who lived in Sheffield and features in my exhibition as a bronze bust under the 'bus shelter'. Carpenter paved the way for social and political reform with his activism playing a crucial role in the equality of our current time. Yuen has previously dedicated projects to Edward and I felt the cross generational teachings between Edward to Yuen then Yuen to myself worthy of an artwork to highlight these connections.
‘Piggy Bastard’ 2022. Acrylic on bacon fries crisp packet, w12 x h13.4cm.
This is my most recent painting, which was created in response to the two other crisp packet paintings i made last year. I originally planned for three crisp packet based works to be made but had to put this piece on the back burner whilst i dedictated my time to the ‘Creative Connections’ project.
Bacon Fries a staple snack for me and my brothers back in the day in working mens. Must have rinsed my Grandad's weekly pension on about 5 bags each whilst playing pool. The work draws inspiration from memory, iconography, the symbolism of objects and the environments that connect us to material i have chosen. I uses the connection between ‘Bacon’ to refer back to the football name calling ‘Piggy’ whilst it also depicts a rowdy drunk celebrating on pool tables, this is a nod back to my own personal connection to playing pool as a child whilst scoffing down packer after packet of these crisps.