The Other Avatars #1395 Print

Born in the Midlands, UK in 1969. With poor eyesight as a child, as well as getting lost a lot, I developed a knack for taking mentally fuzzy snapshots of the world to help me navigate. These mental images were then frequently scribbled onto paper, in an attempt to clarify the blurred scenes around me. Encouraged by such comments as "come on Ant, stop squinting and draw a picture for your Auntie Margaret, “ techniques were nurtured while keeping me out of trouble (mostly). Later, studying fine art and sculpture at art school I became somewhat despondent around my peers. They were busy nailing tampons to trees as a "symbolic embodiment of the rise of China as an economic power, exploiting the arrogant attitudes expressed by Western Europe in the late 20th century", or some similar nonsense. I just wanted to paint pretty pictures. A need for food and rent, and an interest in computers led my disgruntled twenty-five-year-old self to a career in digital arts. Graphic design lead from print to the then-emerging world of web design. Eventually, less hungry and with a ‘proper’ job paying the bills, I combined a skill set of digital mediums with the addiction to express the aesthetic visions in his head and now produces art digitally from his studio in Hove, England. In July 2018, I opened up a gallery in one of Brighton's seafront arches, mainly in a bid to please my wife and take clear some of the house of my work. I now have a man's shed, beach hut, workshop, and gallery all rolled into one. I'm developing the art of customer service to those who come along and watch me paint, ask questions, and sometimes buy my art. The part that gives me the most pleasure is customers sending photos of where my work is in situ. You'll many of these on Facebook , Instagram , and on Google. I use this superb Saatchi site to sell one big original of each of my pieces, so thanks for looking.