Jimmy Cunningham

I am a self taught artist whose work is based my experiences, the world we inhabit, and our interaction within it. I have had a varied career, from engineering to journalism but during this time I always had a strong desire to paint.

I love observing the world around me and my inspiration comes from people in their natural surroundings, whether that be in the city or at home. I also recall conversations and interactions with individuals during my time as a journalist, which have influenced my portraits.

I experiment with colour and love how it changes mood and atmosphere. I like creating odd shapes and patterns, which can resemble tribal or ethnographic art. Photography is also a medium I use as a starting point for my work, which allows me to engage and converse with people.

Another inspiration is the urban environment and I enjoy the sharpness of individual shapes, colours and designs used by graffiti artists. My pieces adopt the colour palette of such works which is imperfect and raw at times.
I paint mostly in acrylic and oil pastels.