Winner Abstract Experimental Category - International Artist of the year 2007

At the beginning of this year I decided to enter an art competition, I don't really know why, I just did. I think it may be because I joined the SAA (Society for All Artists) because I liked their mission, if you click on the link above you can read about it. Well, I am really happy I did enter as with this painting I won the abstract experimental category, which has led to some recognition for me in the art world, finally.

When I created this painting, I was very taken back by the beauty that surrounded me. I had been living in Budapest, Hungary for 14 years and had just returned to England. Because of the climate in Hungary there isn't much green grass there, so you can imagine how flabbergasted I was after returning and seeing all the green grass around me.

What particularly inspired me to do this painting was that there was a wood nearby where I lived which was carpeted in bluebells. You couldn't see the ground for bluebells. It was absolutely amazing. I went home got out the largest piece of canvas I had and painted this.

I had no idea that it would win me this award less than a year later. All I wish now is to be able to exhibit it somewhere in a major show, but that's always been my wish. I am not in the art for money I just want to share what I do with people.

The title of the painting "Flowers and Space Blue"

Painting from 2003

This painting is titled "Africa". At the time I had this fixation of painting women with black hair and lots of it. I was at the beginning of my art career and didn't really know what I wanted to paint. I particularly liked this painting because of all of that orange. I love orange, it"s so warm. This painting appeared in one of my first exhibitions and is acrylic on paper.

The first exhibition I had consisted of paintings on paper, tabletops and floorboards. I started painting on canvas at a later date.

I don't have 'Africa' any more, like many of my paintings I gave it away to someone as a present. Hopefully, they are looking after it.

At the time, I had just returned from a very miserable trip to the U.S. which turned into a disaster. I came back full of emotion and started painting. This one probably has something to do with the black-haired American girl I went to America for and ended up homeless a week later, with a 3 month return ticket that was pretty tough.

Please feel free to leave a comment on this painting. One of my favourite artists is Jackson Pollock, but will get to that later.

Biography

I was born in Plymouth, England. January 28th, 1970. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years in Cornwall in the Southwest of England. At the age of 17 I joined the army and spent my time with them in Germany.
In 1989 I left the Army and did various jobs. Went to College of St. Mark and St. John from 1991 - 1993 and studied PR and media.
In 1993 I left England and came to Hungary, originally for a year, but here I am 11 years later.
Not any more. In 2006 I returned to England and I am now pursuing my career as an artist here

EXHIBITIONS:
Budapest, Hungary January 2003 PotKulcs. Gallery Cafe
Budapest, Hungary March 2003 PotKulcs. Gallery Cafe
Budapest, Hungary May 2004 ABB Gallery
Budapest, Hungary October 2004 Cafe Miro Gallery
Budapest Hungary January 2005 Vitula Café
The Jam factory, Oxford 3rd June - 29th June
Art in Action, Waterperry Gardens, Oxfordshire. 19th - 22nd July 2007

Acheivements:
Winner of Artist of the year, Abstract and Experimental Category

Statement

I believe art can be a learned process, it is also natural and a matter of what we see, feel and where we allow our hands to dance on the canvas, or our hands dance without our minds controlling them. You can learn the techniques but you cannot learn to tell your mind to be satisfied with the techniques you have learned. When I am with the paintbrush, I always feel like we are dancing together, sometimes harmoniously sometimes against each other. Sometimes we are dancing the Tango, sometimes a Waltz, sometimes we caress each other to a slow romantic dance and sometimes we are in aggressive moments of passion. If there is harmony, it is possible to produce something which shows harmony, if there is no harmony then you may as well put the brush down until you feel it come back