Profile
The Creative Day...
My day begins with the demands of my young family for early morning attention, but once they are off to school, I go straight to work. I own a gallery near my home, which has a spacious and well lit attic, and this provides the perfect location for my studio. I find myself unable to function without a cup of coffee and a nice substantial breakfast, and I have this when I arrive as I open the mail and start to formulate my plans for the day. As anyone who is familiar with my work will know, I tend to paint each individual picture with a very specific palette, employing a range of shades of one dominant colour. Once I know what I am working on, I prepare my palette carefully as I believe the precise shades I work with are integral to the character of the finished composition. Then (after another coffee I’m afraid!) I begin to paint, and tend to work flat out until around 5pm.
The Creative Impulse...
I have a definite penchant for tropical seas and exotic skies acquired on my travels, and they have been a hugely inspirational factor in my work. I do love to see new places and would go anywhere in the world to capture that perfect moment, but my young family prohibits too much of this luxurious pastime just at present! In spite of spending so many hours gazing out at ocean panoramas, my sheer wonderment has never faltered; I love the uniqueness of ever-changing cloud formations, and am constantly amazed by the differences in the seascape caused by the passage of time throughout the day. I get a huge amount of pleasure from painting what is beautiful, and I hope what appeals to me appeals to others.
I have always enjoyed looking at the work of other artists, and greatly admire the work of my own father. In terms of creative influences however, I would simply have to credit the natural elements!
The Creative Process...
Before I start on a new composition I need to form a definite view of my intentions, and make a decision on the colours I will be working with. Once I have prepared my palette and know the direction I will be taking, I am ready to go. I do paint quite aggressively - a fact that often surprises people as the images I create are generally peaceful. I like to view my pictures as colour in motion however, and I believe it is the energy and spontaneity involved in the act of creation that gives them their visual impact. I am able to work in this way because of the quick drying nature of acrylic paints - they allow me to finish each composition with minimum delay and maximum honesty.
Background...
Jonathan was born in Leeds in 1959. As a child he always loved to paint and stood in awe of his father, a professional artist. He always felt he was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, but after leaving school found himself working in a variety of jobs, and finally finding a creative position as an interior designer. He knew that this was not the life for him however, and eventually resigned from his job to go travelling, financing his journey with money raised from selling his work along the way. The realisation that he was able to sell his work so easily filled Jonathan with confidence and resolve, and he returned home to Yorkshire to open a gallery. Surrounded by artwork that he admired and seeing the positive response of his customers encouraged him to paint some of his best ever work. After six years in the gallery, Jonathan felt it was time to move on and took the bold step of dedicating himself full-time to painting. His new found confidence led him to abandon his methodical style in favour of more spontaneous “free” painting onto canvas and board. He found this new approach to be stimulating and exciting, and has never looked back. In 1999, Jonathan was elected a Fellow of the British Society of Painters and the International Guild of Artists, and in 2003 he was shortlisted for the Fine Art Trade Guild award for Best Up and Coming Artist. His work is held in private collections and galleries throughout the UK, Europe and the USA, and his celebrity collectors include Dawn French and Lenny Henry.