I started drawing at primary school, My first Drawing of a portrait was the six million dollar man. Lee majors. The teachers were very impressed and pushed me to become an artist. This also went on to secondary school. Where I won lots of awards. But when I left school I found that the art world was a very hard way to go. And left me very under confident as an artist, So I joined the British Army. The Coldstream Guards. I carried on doing drawings in pencil for the lads when they came off patrol, to send back to there families. From this I gained a job as the battalion sign-writer. And was trained for this job. During my service I injured my spine. This got worse as years went by. And eventually crippled me. I once again tried to get back into my art. I would try my upmost best to paint a better painting and was never 100% happy and still to this day I always know in my heart I can do better. And I think this stems from my earlier attempts to join art society’s. But with no success. So I kept striving to be a better artist and never gave up. I got in the armed forces art society as an associate member. Had my first exhibition in London’s Menier gallery. I entered Three pieces of art work and  two got rejected. I thought here we go again. The one  piece of art that didn’t get rejected won the last ever prize in this society The Sponsors prize this was judged by an outside organisation. I missed the the presentation night because I thought I didn’t have a hope in hell of winning a prize and I live in Plymouth, And because in my opinion my two best paintings got rejected. Then a year later the in there 84th year the art society got disbanded.Which was very sad. I didn’t give up I went on to have a painting in the Mall galleries London, one of the ones that got rejected, with the Creative force campaign from help for heroes. This was shown on the main BBC news. And my painting took centre spot, it made me really confused about how the art world and how it works.But I’ve kept going and regularly paint in my garden shed and do this therapeutically as an hobby and to keep myself busy. I also suffered a stroke a few years ago but I personally think this has improved my work it’s given me more patience I am more calm and can work for weeks painstakingly to complete a piece of art work, and I hope this shows in my work. I now work with water mixable oils and acrylic on canvas or board, I paint a lot of military themes but I will have a go at anything. If it becomes a challenge I will try my best to do a good job of it. I’ve joined outside in because I’ve never seen anything like this in the art world. I believe the art world needs to be a fairer place and to give anyone a chance to show their art work and not just for the chosen few. I also believe that the public should decide because everyone one as a different opinion of what they like, someone may not like my art work but they might like yours. My inspiration for art comes from my primary school days and the life I had military and my own personal journey and who I’ve met along the way. I put a lot of work into a painting and  I like to show the meaning, history and make it thought provoking. maybe to get a point across, something I can express with a paint brush or pencil. But can not verbally from myself. It personally feels better coming from a canvas. And I hope you can see this too. Many thanks for reading my Artist Statement I’ve got lots more history of my life in my art world and will update as I go along  Thank you