Parrots

Parrots, Oil on Canvas, Isle of Wight, 2009 (Private Collection)

Maggi

I have been drawing and painting from life with Maggi Hambling for 2 years now. Not only do I consider her a great mentor and influence but i also count her as a friend.

(above) Maggi Hambling, Jemma Seated.

My first contact with her as an artist was in the Tate Britain when i was quite young, i remember being very affected by this tender portrait of her neighbour Frances Rose (below). The first thing that drew me too it at that young age was the brilliance of the blue jumper (which has been slightly lost in translation with this photo reproduction), then those hands, i can remember those hands staying with me for a long time. I have always believed that what you can't explain with words you must paint, there is an unexplainable aspect to every thing in this world that is both haunting and beautiful at the same time and i believe that Maggi has crossed this barrier so naturally in this particular painting, as Van Gogh so eloquently puts it "there's nothing sad in this death, it goes its way in broad daylight with a sun flooding everything with a light of pure gold"

(below) These are two recent paintings that i have doone in her class, both are oil on canvas board, one is of Matthew with his back to the window of the studio and the other is of Andrea (twice) with Jelly on the left of the picture and myself on the right.

Liberty

This piece is a mix of sculpted paint and found objects to create a work inspired by Eugène Delacroix's 'Liberty Leading the People'

(above) Oil on canvas, Eugène Delacroix, 1830, Le Louvre

(below) Berty Leading the People, 2009
Oil and Found Objects, Conrad Armstrong

Vincent

Vincent Van Gogh used to live in Brixton on Hackford Road and would walk to Kent often, his route took him through Streatham Common. I grew up in Streatham and have always felt very close to Vincent, I always remember the urban myth that everyone in Lambeth should look in their attics for the lost Van Gogh painting of Streatham common, no one ever found anything. I discovered a sketch he made of Streatham common that he made the day his landlady's daughter died, he included it in a letter to his brother Theo. This drawing inspired me to go up onto Streatham Common and paint the landscape in homage to Vincent's lost work.

I have since painted the common again and again. I am now living in Dalston and have started a series of works of Hackney, like Van Gogh i believe there is a limitless subject on our doors steps and don't need to travel further than you can walk to find inspiration and beauty.



View of the common after Van Gogh - Conrad Armstrong
Oil on Canvas, 2009 (Private Collection)

The South London Press picked up on this remarkable story and featured an article on it including my painting.


Keith Hill Mp of Streatham also organised a festival which used the painting for its poster.