Profile

I am a painter of atmospheric and expressive landscapes, my subject a celebration of the land and its history, and of the forces of nature. Images often have an underlying narrative of ones place in the world interpreted through the subtle use of visual metaphor. Working in the open air as well as in the studio using an accumulation of drawings, colour studies and scribbles are my usual work methods, however I also visit exhibitions regularly and make drawings and interpretations of the work of others, which I refer to as Souvenirs.

There’s another side to me too though. Opportunities to satisfy this passion have been rare but more recently it has started to become a more regular activity. It was finding illustrations of Cave Painting in books while at school that first triggered this interest, which was then pursued further during my degree course at Art School. I have been intrigued by the subject of wall painting ever since, whether it was for the decoration of a grand country house, a religious building or for a general public space, and I’ve been fortunate to have painted on a monumental scale on several occasions. A painting which has been specifically designed for a particular location and which cannot be removed from its intended position I feel is the most personal and valuable one can produce. Having witnessed its creation from start to finish, all those who live with it adopt it, feeling it has been personally painted for them. And this of course is true – and it can never be owned by anyone else.

Other passions include music, which has always played an important part in my life, whether it is classical, jazz, blues, soul, ska and reggae, rock or skiffle – good music is good music regardless of its genre. The written word and cinema has played its part too. Influences on my work are many and varied, I like to keep eyes, ears and mind open. Quotes from books, poems, film scripts or song lyrics often litter my conversations and the diary I’ve always had the habit of keeping. In fact every Blog I’ve written is also the title of a song. Back in 2002 I made an attempt to list my cocktail of influences in a collection of haiku verses. Now, almost 20 years later, I could probably write another 18 verses! (And it shows that even mentors and gurus can let you down. If only I’d known the truth about Rolf & Lance before it was written!)

Colin Slater  28.4.2018

My Sergeant Pepper (Mentors, Gurus, Motivators, Influences, Inspirations)

Ludwig van B
Jacob Ruisdael, Laurie Lee
– JMWT!

Gifford, Rachmaninov,
John Piper, Roger McGough
Lennon, Vincent van Gogh

Corot, Rodrigo
MichelAngelo, Basho
Matisse, Picasso

Loussier, Monet
Tabner, Tress and Kurt J
Falla, Hiroshige

Miles Davis, JT
Giacometti, Daubigny
Koninck, Debussy

Rodin, Jules Pascin
Hambling, Moran, Hughes, Cezanne
Munich, Amsterdam

Barwürz, Pedigree
Django Reinhardt, Grappelli
Oloroso, Jack D

Franz Schubert, Bernstein
Creffield, Gershwin, Corenwijn
Roland Kirk, Rembrandt van Rijn

Brabazon, Eardley
Hitchcock, Freddie, Wolves FC 
Frédéric Back, McCartney

Muir, Frost, Wilfred O
Rivera, Leonardo
Rolf H, Orozco

Wilde, Welles, Tchaikovsky
Bonnard, Coker, Vivaldi
Charles Schulz, National G

Babe, Stan, Jostein Gaarder
Goya, Swift, Palin, Elgar
Lao-Tzu, Goodwin, Degas

Talking Heads, Lance Armstrong
Groucho, Güllich, McNaughton
Fred Astaire’s dance & song

Ustinov, Puccini
Lonnie Donnie, Luis B
Darcey, Sylvie G

Roma, Neruda
Frank Sinatra, Tommy Cooper
Hokusai, Weinberger

Coltrane, Mariza
Hancock, Hopper, Sobers, Whistler
Bischofsmais, Buena Vista

Callas, Brothers B
Wolferstetter, Billy C
H & M, Verdi

People and places
My life embraces
A lifetime of friends
The list never ends

1. Ludwig van B        – Beethoven – composer
2. Jacob Ruisdael        – painter
3. Laurie Lee        – poet/author
4. JMWT        – Joseph Mallord William Turner – painter
5. Gifford        – Andrew – painter
6. Rachmaninov    – Sergei – composer
7. John Piper        – painter/printmaker
8. Roger McGough        – poet
9. Lennon        – John – singer/composer
10. Vincent van Gogh    – painter
11. Corot        – Camille – painter
12. Rodrigo        – Joaquín – composer
13. MichelAngelo        – painter/sculptor/architect
14. Basho        – poet
15. Matisse        – Henri – painter/sculptor/printmaker
16. Picasso        – Pablo – painter/sculptor/printmaker
17. Loussier        – Jacques – jazz musician, piano
18. Monet        – Claude – painter
19. Tabner        – Len – painter
20. Tress        – David – painter
21. Kurt J        – Jackson – painter
22. Falla        – Mañuel de – composer
23. Hiroshige        – Utagawa – printmaker
24. Miles Davis        – jazz musician, trumpet
25. JT        – Jethro Tull – rock group led by Ian Anderson
26. Giacometti        – Alberto – painter/sculptor/printmaker
27. Daubigny        – Francois – painter
28. Koninck        – Phillips – painter
29. Debussy       – Claude – composer
30. Rodin        – Auguste – sculptor
31. Jules Pascin        – painter
32. Hambling        – Maggi – painter/sculptor
33. Moran        – Thomas – painter
34. Hughes        – Robert – Art critic/writer
35. Cezanne        – Paul – painter
36. Munich        – capital of Bavaria
37. Amsterdam        – capital of the Netherlands
38. Barwürz        – Bavarian schnapps
39. Pedigree        – Beer brewed by Marstons Brewery
40. Django Reinhardt    – jazz musician, guitar
41. Grappelli        – Stephane – jazz musician, violin
42. Oloroso        – Spanish Sherry
43. Jack D        – Daniels – Tennessee Whiskey
44. Franz Schubert        – composer
45. Bernstein        – Leonard – composer
46. Creffield        – Denis – painter
47. Gershwin        – George – composer
48. Corenwijn        – oude jenever – Dutch gin
49. Roland Kirk        – jazz musician, flute/saxophone
50. Rembrandt van Rijn    – painter/printmaker
51. Brabazon        – Hercules Brabazon – painter
52. Eardley         – Joan – painter
53. Hitchcock        – Alfred – film-maker
54. Freddie        – Mercury – singer/composer
55. Wolves FC    – Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club
56. Frédéric Back        – animator
57. McCartney        – Paul – singer/composer
58. Muir        – Edwin – poet
59. Frost        – Robert – poet
60. Wilfred O         – Owen – poet
61. Rivera        – Diego – painter
62. Leonardo        – Da Vinci – painter/scientist/engineer
63. Rolf H        – Harris – painter/TV personality
64. Orozco        – José Clemente – painter
65. Wilde        – Oscar – poet/playwright
66. Welles        – Orson – actor/film-maker
67. Tchaikovsky        – Peter Ilyich – composer
68. Bonnard        – Pierre – painter
69. Coker        – Peter – painter/printmaker
70. Vivaldi         – Antonio – composer
71. Charles Schulz        – Illustrator of ‘Peanuts’
72. National G        – Gallery, London
73. Babe        – Oliver Norvill Hardy – actor
74. Stan        – Laurel – actor
75. Jostein Gaarder        – author/philosopher
76. Goya        – Francisco José – painter/printmaker
77. Swift        – Graham – author
78. Palin        – Michael – traveller/writer
79. Elgar        – Edward – composer
80. Lao-Tzu        – philosopher
81. Goodwin        – Albert – painter
82. Degas        – Edgar – painter/sculptor/printmaker
83. Talking Heads        – rock group led by David Byrne
84. Lance Armstrong    – cyclist
85. Groucho        – Marx – actor/writer
86. Güllich        – Wolfgang – climber
87. McNaughton        – Colin – poet
88. Fred Astaire        – actor/dancer
89. Ustinov        – Peter – writer/actor/raconteur
90. Puccini        – Giacomo – composer
91. Lonnie Donnie        – Donegan – musician
92. Luis B        – Buñuel – Film-maker
93. Darcey        – Bussell – Ballet dancer
94. Sylvie G        – Guillem – Ballet dancer
95. Roma        – capital of Italy
96. Neruda        – Pablo – poet
97. Frank Sinatra        – singer
98. Tommy Cooper        – magician/comedian
99. Hokusai        – Katshushika – printmaker
100. Weinberger        – Harry – painter/tutor
101. Coltrane        – John – jazz musician, saxophone
102. Mariza        – Portuguese Fado singer
103. Hancock        – Herbie – jazz musician, piano
104. Sobers        – Sir Garfield – cricketer
105. Hopper        – Edward – painter
106. Whistler        – James Abbott McNeil – painter
107. Bischofsmais        – Village in Bavaria
108. Buena Vista        – Social Club – Cuban jazz band
109. Callas        – Maria – singer
110. Brothers B        – Brecker – Michael & Randy – jazz musicians, saxophone & trumpet
111. Wolferstetter        – Bavarian wheat beer
112. Billy C        – Connolly – comedian/actor/banjo player
113. H & M        – Henri & Maria
114. Verdi       – Guiseppe – composer