Long time FotH member Mike Attewell is having a retrospective at Ushaw Historic House, Chapels & Gardens (Durham, DH7 7DW) from Saturday 9th September to the 5th November. The exhibition is called Embellished Fiction and celebrates a lifetime of creativity.
Ninety-three-year-old Mike trained as an artist at King’s College, Newcastle, specialising in sculpture and education, and spent most of his career working in local secondary schools. Following early retirement from teaching in 1987, he has allowed his imagination to run riot in paintings with themes from his pre-war childhood memories, classical myths and legends, Bible stories and Shakespeare plays, as well as depicting dreams and nightmares.
Says Mike, “My rule is to paint from imagination, without models and certainly not using photographs. That means that I have freedom to create from my memories, and from the images conjured in my mind from reading or listening to music. My paintings often develop as they go along, as each brush stroke can suggest new ideas and inspiration.”
“When legends are the inspiration for a painting, using your imagination is particularly helpful. Where would I find a model for Bacchus with such a lecherous look? And where would I find a long haired muscle-man to model for Samson, let alone a monkey to symbolise his lack of resolve?”
“Stories, even children’s fairy tales, can help us make sense of the world and come to terms with the challenges we face in our everyday lives. I hope my work gives entertainment and food for thought.”
More of Mike’s work can be found on his website: http://www.mike-attewell.co.uk/
Friends of the Hatton 