I have always had a fascination for the iconic object. Something that has the power to evoke an emotion, a memory, a visual time stamp, things that compels us to covet them. I find the coldest, most inanimate object can hold so much representation beyond its purpose.
Sometimes a discovery happens while I am painting, I find myself compelled to a subject matter, and the conversation between the paint, canvas and myself reveals it’s true representation. I become aware of the intention of the subject matter, realising it’s true identity like I am the conduit for my subconscious.
I draw from many techniques that I have learnt through a kaleidoscope of commercial art projects & find that there is no one process for my work. Once I have an idea, the medium is secondary, I just set to work with what suits the end result I’m after. Oils, acrylic, eco-solvent based mediums, even computer generated forms to work up an idea.
I have realised that these objects seem to find me rather than I go looking for them. They present themselves at the right time, whether it be a personal emotion that I or someone close to me is feeling or projecting, or something wider affecting everyone.
After studying graphics at college Antony, under the name H, teamed with partner Pez and quickly rose to become one of the foremost artists in the late 80’s Rave scene, producing the first flyers and graphical art installations on a large scale.
As the Rave scene legalised and developed into the club scene in the UK, H was employed to bring the urban, gritty feel of the illegal warehouses to the interiors of the leading clubs throughout the country.
With this growing popularity there became a constant demand for bespoke commissioned murals and paintings. These works challenged H’s skills to explore new directions in medium and style, providing a great foundation for what lay ahead.
1998 saw H take a change in direction into the world of television as he was offered the chance to work as a Production Designer on the CBeebies children’s TV show Dream Street, working at Pinewood Studios.
After working creatively on a succession of children’s TV shows at Pinewood, he became nominated for the Guild of British Film Designers in 2004 and worked on several movies over the next few years.
In 2007 H ventured into the world of CGI forming production company Annix with several colleagues. They created and produced 52 episodes of the CGI hit TV show Little Charley Bear for CBeebies. As Creative Director, H designed Charley Bear and the entire look and feel of the show, which was one of the first shows to take the feel of classic children’s shows of the past and present them with modern techniques for a TV budget.
Craving his past hands-on, practical approach in his work, he returned to Southend and formed a Creative Solutions Collective working for London based agencies.
Using skills he had honed working at Pinewood Studios, they designed and created many large, weird and wonderful art installations for exhibitions throughout the country. Working for clients such as Sony, LG, Phillips, Panasonic, Pimms, Glenlivet, Green & Blacks and many more.
This changed in 2014 when a client who had keenly followed H’s work and career was inspired to make an offer of patronage, affording H the freedom to fully explore the creative process within him and follow his own inspiration.
The last couple of years have seen an exciting new path of H’s creative journey which is finally allowing him to draw on the diverse avenues of his creative experience to create paintings and full art installations in a range of mediums, some familiar and some new to him.
