JON GIDLOW

About Me

My first pull toward art outside the classroom was painting metal miniatures in my teens and entering them into competitions. The fantasy artwork that links in with the type of figures I was painting can be very detailed and striking I spent hours copying them.

I carried on to study at the university in Leeds and ended up staying there for the fifteen years as I loved the city so much. I started painting on boards and canvas as a hobby during my twenties. Initially using oils then later on moving over to Acrylics as I was experimenting with different washes and wanted quicker drying times. Happily I was able to display some of my pictures in a friends deli and sell some pieces, which gave me a hint that I could develop my painting further.

In 2008 I took time out to tour Spain and during my time there visit all the galleries I came across. Seeing that many pictures in a relatively short space of time helped me to solidify the direction I wanted my artwork to be taking. The paintings that drew me most were the portraits and figurers where lighting had produced a lot of drama or tension and I now want to try and emulate these styles using more contemporary subjects. Spain also brought me back to using Oil paints as I feel they give a richer feel to a picture and the ability to carefully blend colours to give me the effects I want.

I have now had one solo and a couple of group exhibitions showing my portrait work which has led to me studying in the London Atelier of representational art which has given me more of a traditional painting and drawing foundation.

As a keen runner and cyclist I also enjoy being in the outdoors and on the rare days outside painting a landscape I can relax and absorb the scenery at a much slower tempo. It is challenging that the weather and light can change rapidly and it is sometimes a race to get the main elements down on canvas and this can make for dynamic and bold pictures. I have recently moved back to the Midlands and now work part time as an artist.