This exhibition of thirty small portraits is a self-portrait.
All through my life as a painter and illustrator, I have taken inspiration and guidance from all kinds of sources. Some have directly informed how I paint, others how I think about the act of painting.
This project began with the portrait of my father, John, as it was the obvious place to start.
All through my childhood in the 1970s, I took on board all kinds of visual influences, from Brooke Bond Tea cards to magazines like the Beano, Look-in and Look and Learn, and like a kind of magpie, I collected and stored all this amazing imagery in my head. As I embarked on my career in art, they all played their part.
Over the course of my professional life, I have been inspired by a circle of creative giants, both from the past and present. Part of the process of this project was to meet with these artists who had all been, and continue to be, so influential to me.
I Am Because You Are has been a long process and the final stages coincided with trying to negotiate the Covid lockdowns, so I’m pleased to have finally completed it with the initial idea intact. But of course, it will never be finished, as it’s both necessary and a joy to constantly seek out and be inspired by new artists.
- Simon Davis
● Sold
● Reserved
If you are interested in any of the reserved paintings, it is worth contacting the gallery as they may become available.
