Me and grandad fishing (Original)

£545

Original watercolour

Keeping the kids quiet (Original)

£545

Original watercolour

Double mounted and framed with a 2″ wide border.

Image size: 21.5″ x 14.5″

Framed size: 27″ x 21″

Seaside Rendezvous (Original)

£500

Original acylic on canvas board

Image size: 20″ x 20″ Available from our gallery or here online.

 http://www.smartartgalleries.com

Mike Jackson was born in Manchester in 1962 and he explains here some of his early experiences that
influence his artwork today. ‘My upbringing is full of treasured memories that inspire my work – selling my
mum’s best coat to the rag and bone man for a few balloons, holidaying at  Blackpool and Rhyl,
Donkey rides, Punch and Judy, sand in my butties and my mum on Prize Bingo always bring a smile to my face.
This is naturally what I choose  to paint. I love to share the humour of life in my work, If I paint a street
scene with kids playing football, I believe the painting should have all the elements of the moment,
even the old lady telling us to ‘go and play round your  own end’, dogs getting amorous with each other
and the ‘dimp picker’ collecting  fag ends from the pavements. The inclusion of these wonderful
memories makes my paintings much more interesting.’Mike Jackson now live in Somerset, where local
beaches bring extra inspiration to his paintings, living near the coast gives him the opportunity to collect
reference for his new paintings. As Mike says, ‘I love to people watch,  witnessing holiday romancers,
beach bums, screaming kids high on candy floss  and day trippers trying to enjoy their day
whilst over-laden with bucket and  spades, carrier bags full of butties, flasks of tea and sand sodden towels,
queuing for the ‘charrabang’ to go home…deep joy.’

‘It has always been my dream to be able to earn a living as an artist and I
feel so lucky to have my hobby as a job.’

Mike Jackson

Born in 1962 to a working class Manchester family, I grew up in a warm family surrounding with honest values. I left school with few qualifications but with a great love of art. However, I was encouraged to learn a trade so ‘I would always have something to fall back on’. I became a Butcher. After a wide and varied career path I eventually pursued the artistic path and became a Graphic Designer. I bought the various computer packages along with an Apple Mac and taught myself. I was lucky enough to gain access into the Commercial Art world and I stayed there, learning from mistakes and increasing in knowledge and experience for about 12 years. Meantime I was developing my illustration skills and learning different Medias until I felt I was good enough to sell some of my paintings.

For years after that I concentrated on perfecting my watercolour skills and felt that this was the path for me. I was quite a successful watercolour artist for many years and was pushed by a friend who has a gallery in Somerset to try out acrylics. This I did, and to my surprise I absolutely loved them. I have no formal training in art so I have had to learn by my own mistakes, yet I would have it no other way as I feel that this is the best way of developing your own technique. I am married with two fabulous children and one grandson, who all keep my feet on the ground. We moved to Somerset in 1999 which was fabulous for my artistic inspiration, as the colours and the local sounds of the country really help to free up my mind.

I am inspired really by my family, and the way my wife and I were when we were teenagers. We were a pair of romantics and always endeavoured to keep our relationship fun! I try to depict this in my little character. In most relationships there are sad times as well as happy times; this will show in my character as my work develops.

I was greatly inspired by LS Lowry, influenced mainly because he was a friend of my Grandfather. My ideas come mainly when I am out driving, and thinking about quirky little images to paint. I wish I could say that they come easily, but they don’t! It really is hard work, in fact that is probably harder than putting the painting together.

I tend to draw hundreds of little sketches when I get an idea in my head, and then try to develop two or three of the best sketches.

After I have chosen the images I am going to paint, I start by painting the backgrounds. This can take up to about four or five layers of building up and getting the light and shadows right. Then after this has dried, I paint in my background images faintly in white or grey as these should not dominate the page.

As I am going through these stages I am still determining the positions of the main characters and may change direction at any time. Eventually after great thought I am ready to paint in my main character. I block in this with white paint sketching the lines faintly first with white/grey paint as this would be easier to remove if I make a mistake. Eventually when the character is blocked in, I paint in the form in monochrome greys before applying colour to the image. When the image is coloured in, then I intensify the shadows and the highlights very carefully.

I awake at around 9.30, and come down stairs for a nice cup of tea. After I have come around, I go into my studio which is conveniently attached to my house… it is also called a garage!

I look at the previous day’s work and see what I can change about it. I try to be critical about my work, as I feel this can only improve. I am constantly endeavouring to make every piece better than the last

I turn on my radio… I cannot work without my radio on, and begin to work. I work on one piece at a time, as I get frustrated when I try to multi-paint! I like to see a painting reaching its end and improving quickly.

I spend most of the day in my studio, only popping out to put the kettle on or make a sandwich.

I usually pack up work at about 4.30pm and start the Tea before my wife gets in from work. In the evening we will sit and watch Coronation Street and Eastenders together, and then later I will get out my sketch book again or pop back in the studio to put a few touches to whatever I am working on.

I love my work passionately and never want to stop painting… I feel extremely blessed to have been given a skill such as this.

Mike Jackson launches his new collection New Perspectives at Smart Art Galleries in 2011.

You can view and buy Mike’s work at our gallery or here online.

Smart Art Galleries
249 Baslow Road,
Totley,
Sheffield,
ENGLAND,
S17 4DU

+44(0)114 236 4355
info@smartartgalleries.com
http://www.smartartgalleries.com/

image size: 19.5″ x 29.5″ (50 x 75cm) framed size: 24.5″ x 34.5″ (62 x 88cm)

image size: 23.5″ x 23.5″ (59 x 59cm) framed size: 28.5″ x 28.5″ (72 x 72cm)

Double mounted and framed with a 6″ wide beveled border.

£995

framed size: 65cm x 90cm

This piece has taken around three months to complete
Building glaze upon glaze.

£895

image size: 23.5″ x 23.5″ (59 x 59cm)
framed size: 28.5″ x 28.5″ (72 x 72cm)
Available for or gallery or here online.

Smart Art Galleries
249 Baslow Road,
Totley,
Sheffield,
ENGLAND,
S17 4DU

+44(0)114 236 4355
info@smartartgalleries.com
http://www.smartartgalleries.com/

“Keeping the kids quiet”

Smart Art Galleries, 249 Baslow Road, Totley, Sheffield, ENGLAND, S17 4DU

+44(0)114 236 4355 info@smartartgalleries.com http://www.smartartgalleries.com/