|
I was born way back in '52 when skies and people were very grey, but childhood was a great colour filled adventure in the
poorer east side of Birmingham, England. In the absence of wealth creativity was a necessity and so we, the street kids (as I like to romantically remember us) created our worlds from bits of junk and whatever we could
"borrow". I honestly believe that this kind of "impoverishment" is a great catalyst and I don't envy the cyber generation of today (oh go on then — yes I'd have LOVED a gameboy!!!)Anyway artistic flair
appeared (from I don't know where) and at 11 I found myself singled out and sent to the specialist Moseley Art School. Three hundred kids only, loads of oddball teachers , fantastic looking girls (they were good looking
then weren't they?) and plenty of art. These places no longer exist sadly — smacks too much of elitism! From there I went into an Ad agency, loved it at first, hated it very soon after. Went on the hippy trail to
Cornwall, came back home 2 years later a worldly wise man, or was that a pimply youth with inflated Utopian fantasies? I then went to North Warwickshire Art School for a 2 year pre-degree life of Riley and then on to
Manchester for 4 more years of absolute grind and dedicated research ( yes Boddingtons Ales are definitely the superior brew!) finally gaining my BA (with honors) degree. On into freelance — or should I say starvation.
One year Post Graduate Art Education next in Birmingham and into the deep end of Education. 4 years later I was living in Venice Beach California — working in Malibu (please don't tell Immigration), doing all kinds of
interior remodelling etc and having the best time of my life! Back to the UK and into designing embroidered militaria (very dull) and then back into teaching at a special school for people with autism. I'm still there
today 12 years on but now working a 3 day week as well as setting up a web design company, flying when I can afford it, and playing keys in a great band
http://DannySteel_Orchestra.tri pod.comWhere did time fly? All
along the way I've done artwork of all types, it's never left me, never fed me, but never bored me neither. My eyes are wearing out lately so I only hope I can keep it going a little longer — or start working REAL big! If anyone would like to see any more of my work then please come and visit my (embryonic) site at: http://victorian.fortunecity.com /pinter/702And if I can give any advice at all,
please feel free to email
me, I may be a little slow in answering but hopefully that's because I'm hard at work towards my first (of many) millions!!!Best wishes —Paul Shotan |
