Paul Wakeford

Hello, my name is Paul. Thank you for taking the time to look at my website.

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I am a self-taught artist. When I was young I started drawing, and always wanted to make a living from selling my artwork. As with most dreams it was always in my mind but I found other jobs and did my artwork in the background as a hobby.

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I studied at the Arts Institute Bournemouth taking a Graphic design course with a view to use my artistic side in a world where IT was the future. I had a few jobs and then was very lucky to find a position which utilised my skills at a framing and printing firm. I was able to learn about stretching canvases, framing artists' work professionally, and scanning and printing artists' work. I work for a number of inspiring artists, and always felt one day I had to try to make it and frame my own art.

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I also joined a group of aspiring artists locally, and I found an environment where I could work and talk with other artists. Here I was introduced to another medium and tried pastels for the first time. My first pastel drawing was "Make a Wish". I loved using pastels, and the thought of using another medium wasn't so scary anymore - I found a lot of the skills I already used in drawing were transferable into other mediums too. Although the group disbanded after the person who ran the group retired, I then found acrylics and loved working with them and the bright colours you could get.

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I started trying a different style to what I was used to after a few paintings in acrylics. I decided I was going to try and concentrate on the colours and not take the time so much on unnecessary details. I started this with a painting of a sunset over the sea, "Studland Surrenders". The response I received was amazing. I have always had the support of my family and the inspiration from other artists' work, but to see the response to my work from strangers, and fellow artists was unbelievable. My family have been behind me all the way and have always pushed me into having confidence in my artwork, and the response to the painting gave them a reason to push that I couldn't ignore, so here we are...