Paul Horton

History & Background

It wasn't until the autumn of 1997 that i turned professional, dedicating for the first time ever, all of my energy into my art. I held a major one-man retrospective exhibition in the summer of 1998 entitled 'All in a Life's Work', which was a personal selection of paintings representing my artistic journey.

'The Journeyman' was the first of my paintings to combine a character within a street scene. This has led to a new style of subject matter based on street life, whether reflecting everyday happenings or capturing the nostalgia of an industrial age. I like to think there is a poignancy and spirit within these works.

Growing up in Birmingham in the sixties and seventies has given me so many memories to draw upon; it has given me my identity and working class ethic. The working man in my industrial street scenes is an iconic figure reflecting the industrial age, but it could be in any city or any town.

I travelled extensively throughout the U.K. for the majority of 2002. My 'Homes & Hearts' tour launched my work to many galleries across the country, it was an absolute pleasure to meet so many wonderful people, they have become a great source of inspiration to me.

I am constantly pushing myself in new and exciting directions. As well as my drawing and painting i also lecture art to special needs students based within the community. This is a challenging and rewarding addition to my busy life and a chance for me to give something back.

Ideas & Inspirations

Art is my life, a passion within me. I feel that i am on a journey, with diverse influences adding a unique and inspired view of the world. As i started painting so young i cannot recall a definitive point of inspiration, but from about the age of ten i was inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites. My early paintings were figurative studies in the Pre-Raphaelite style; i have always enjoyed the challenge of drawing and painting people. Life is a mosaic of different memories, we all experience so many emotions from great joy to deep sorrow, form the nostalgic to the magical - these experiences are the source of my paintings, offering universal themes that i hope will appeal to popular imagination. My distinctive paintings are informed by a love of colour and strong composition influenced by artists such as Degas, Chagall and De Lempicka.

As much of the original inspiration for my work was derived from puppet theatre, the natural progression was to have some made. I collaborated with Criag Denston, one of the countries leading puppeteers and designers. I then decided it would be great fun to bring them into the gallery environment as part of my 'Homes & Hearts' tour, which added a diverse element to these exhibitions.

The wonderful assortment of characters that appear in my paintings take inspiration from a number of sources including illustration, story books and theatre. There is often a narrative element to be found within my work, people interpret my characters in so many ways, take the Victorian man for instance, is he Jack the Ripper, a magician, or a Phileas Fogg type of character? I like to keep his identity a closely guarded secret, hence his title the 'Man of Mystery'.

The tramp is one of my favourite characters, he is not really anybody in particular, but there is a touch of Charlie Chaplin about him. I wanted to introduce a character who lives in the modern world. The little tramp is a figure of optimism, looking to a future full of hope. When explaining my work i feel it's best not to give everything away, leaving it open to interpretation.

View Work By This Artist