Alfora - Chris Alford

Born 1946 Kings Lynn. Family origins Wiltshire/Somerset. Changed course midlife by going back to school to study art after military service. Worked as a teacher - retired 2001 - and since than had focused exclusively on painting working as a profesional artist.

Alfora studied art at Staffordshire University with further studies to masters level at Wolverhampton and Manchester Metropolitan University. Exhibitions in the UK have included prestigious locations such as Manchester Academy, The Royal West of England Academy, Royal Festival Hall and The Barbican in London as well as with The Printmakers Council. He has had a number of individual shows since moving to Portugal and was a founder member of Blank Canvas, a self-help group of painters that worked with other artists to exhibit and promote quality art work. The group, which dissolved in 2007, consisted of members Alfora (Chris Alford), Charlie Holt, John Lamonby and Robert Ford. Artists exhibiting with Blank Canvas included Jessica Dunn, Valerie Bornand, Ligia, Otelo, Costa Pinhero, Vincent de Brito, Joana Rego, Tarsilla Anink, Paul Clifford, Guilherme Parente, Pedro Pinto Coelho and Jose Delgado Martin. Alfora formed Blank Canvas Second Generation (BC2) in 2008 with Duthch artist Peter de Jong and Portuguese artist Antonio Couvinha. BC2 primarily exhibits as a group on the net. The group currently holds a real time exhibition annually.