It's all about me.
This website hasn't been updated since sometime in 2016 when I discovered the ease and reach of Instagram; whelkboy_studio_gallery
One of the pleasures of being me is that I’m not overly successful; I do sell my work but I don’t suffer from an unfulfilled longing to be successful, it's enough for me to spend my time doing what I like, when I like. As for budget, for the most part I charge what I think is reasonable, prices usually reflect how much I like the piece, or, if we meet face to face, how much I think I like you!
I doubt that I’m alone among creative types who, while harbouring an ideal of prolific artistic output, fall short of what they imagine their endeavours should produce. I have so many ideas in my head, many of which will be forgotten or rejected long before they have the chance to decorate a canvas.
The truth is that I’m simply not disciplined enough to maintain a strict regime of work. What a wonderful notion that I might leap from my bed at first light and, in a frenzy of painterly passion, spend the rest of my waking day totally absorbed in my craft. Or is it? Such commitment nearly killed me in a previous life. I used to be able to apply myself with that level of dedication. The first thing I would reach for on waking, day or night, was a drink; I would then drink until I passed out again. I would go out every day for more drink, all of my friends were drinkers, I stank of drink, I was drink and drink was me.
I came to painting by way of a therapy and what a joyous healer it continues to be. My previous neglect of time has prompted my decision to be more attentive to what remains and my commitment to spending it doing things that bring me pleasure.
As an addict I was hugely selfish, and I intend to remain so in sobriety. My dependency nurtured some fine characteristics in me; resourcefulness, adaptability and acceptance, attributes that I continue to work with and that find their way into the paintings from time to time. Moreover recovery has afforded me an understanding of honesty and forgiveness that has negated any burdensome sense of debt or, the most fruitless of all notions, regret.
I have no free head-space or time for nostalgic self-condemnation; I’m sure there are others who will rise to that task. For me it is enough to paint and make when I can, and to use whatever takes my fancy as my subject matter. I will paint almost anything, with the exception of small children and other people’s pets, and I have a preference for painting beautiful things, even if the subject matter might be less appealing.
All too often I struggle to understand what is happening in an artwork when all I am offered is its title, medium and price; I am even further challenged when confronted by dense paragraphs of pretentious prose or ‘art-speak’. Therefore, in the interesting bit of this site, I have written some explanations of what the artwork is about, not because I think they need a bit of support or that I imagine a viewer to be unable to draw their own conclusions; the captions are to explain what, for good or bad, I have tried to get across, in as straight forward a fashion as I am able.
Happily some of the art shown here now graces the walls of some very cultured and highly discerning homes!
Don’t be disappointed if you share your impeccable taste with an equally enlightened art collector who, it appears, already owns the art of your dreams; there are plenty more where that one came from!
If you don’t see anything you like, don’t hesitate to ask; you might even qualify for the ‘Malcolm likes me’ discount scheme! If you have no idea of what you might like until you see it, keep looking!
This website hasn't been updated since sometime in 2016 when I discovered the ease and reach of Instagram; whelkboy_studio_gallery
One of the pleasures of being me is that I’m not overly successful; I do sell my work but I don’t suffer from an unfulfilled longing to be successful, it's enough for me to spend my time doing what I like, when I like. As for budget, for the most part I charge what I think is reasonable, prices usually reflect how much I like the piece, or, if we meet face to face, how much I think I like you!
I doubt that I’m alone among creative types who, while harbouring an ideal of prolific artistic output, fall short of what they imagine their endeavours should produce. I have so many ideas in my head, many of which will be forgotten or rejected long before they have the chance to decorate a canvas.
The truth is that I’m simply not disciplined enough to maintain a strict regime of work. What a wonderful notion that I might leap from my bed at first light and, in a frenzy of painterly passion, spend the rest of my waking day totally absorbed in my craft. Or is it? Such commitment nearly killed me in a previous life. I used to be able to apply myself with that level of dedication. The first thing I would reach for on waking, day or night, was a drink; I would then drink until I passed out again. I would go out every day for more drink, all of my friends were drinkers, I stank of drink, I was drink and drink was me.
I came to painting by way of a therapy and what a joyous healer it continues to be. My previous neglect of time has prompted my decision to be more attentive to what remains and my commitment to spending it doing things that bring me pleasure.
As an addict I was hugely selfish, and I intend to remain so in sobriety. My dependency nurtured some fine characteristics in me; resourcefulness, adaptability and acceptance, attributes that I continue to work with and that find their way into the paintings from time to time. Moreover recovery has afforded me an understanding of honesty and forgiveness that has negated any burdensome sense of debt or, the most fruitless of all notions, regret.
I have no free head-space or time for nostalgic self-condemnation; I’m sure there are others who will rise to that task. For me it is enough to paint and make when I can, and to use whatever takes my fancy as my subject matter. I will paint almost anything, with the exception of small children and other people’s pets, and I have a preference for painting beautiful things, even if the subject matter might be less appealing.
All too often I struggle to understand what is happening in an artwork when all I am offered is its title, medium and price; I am even further challenged when confronted by dense paragraphs of pretentious prose or ‘art-speak’. Therefore, in the interesting bit of this site, I have written some explanations of what the artwork is about, not because I think they need a bit of support or that I imagine a viewer to be unable to draw their own conclusions; the captions are to explain what, for good or bad, I have tried to get across, in as straight forward a fashion as I am able.
Happily some of the art shown here now graces the walls of some very cultured and highly discerning homes!
Don’t be disappointed if you share your impeccable taste with an equally enlightened art collector who, it appears, already owns the art of your dreams; there are plenty more where that one came from!
If you don’t see anything you like, don’t hesitate to ask; you might even qualify for the ‘Malcolm likes me’ discount scheme! If you have no idea of what you might like until you see it, keep looking!
