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
- Ludwig van B – Beethoven – composer
- Jacob Ruisdael – painter
- Laurie Lee – poet/author
- JMWT – Joseph Mallord William Turner – painter
- Gifford – Andrew – painter
- Rachmaninov – Sergei – composer
- John Piper – painter/printmaker
- Roger McGough – poet
- Lennon – John – singer/composer
- Vincent van Gogh – painter
- Corot – Camille – painter
- Rodrigo – Joaquín – composer
- MichelAngelo – painter/sculptor/architect
- Basho – poet
- Matisse – Henri – painter/sculptor/printmaker
- Picasso – Pablo – painter/sculptor/printmaker
- Loussier – Jacques – jazz musician, piano
- Monet – Claude – painter
- Tabner – Len – painter
- Tress – David – painter
- Kurt J – Jackson – painter
- Falla – Mañuel de – composer
- Hiroshige – Utagawa – printmaker
- Miles Davis – jazz musician, trumpet
- JT – Jethro Tull – rock group led by Ian Anderson
- Giacometti – Alberto – painter/sculptor/printmaker
- Daubigny – Francois – painter
- Koninck – Phillips – painter
- Debussy – Claude – composer
- Rodin – Auguste – sculptor
- Jules Pascin – painter
- Hambling – Maggi – painter/sculptor
- Moran – Thomas – painter
- Hughes – Robert – Art critic/writer
- Cezanne – Paul – painter
- Munich – capital of Bavaria
- Amsterdam – capital of the Netherlands
- Barwürz – Bavarian schnapps
- Pedigree – Beer brewed by Marstons Brewery
- Django Reinhardt – jazz musician, guitar
- Grappelli – Stephane – jazz musician, violin
- Oloroso – Spanish Sherry
- Jack D – Daniels – Tennessee Whiskey
- Franz Schubert – composer
- Bernstein – Leonard – composer
- Creffield – Denis – painter
- Gershwin – George – composer
- Corenwijn – oude jenever – Dutch gin
- Roland Kirk – jazz musician, flute/saxophone
- Rembrandt van Rijn – painter/printmaker
- Brabazon – Hercules Brabazon – painter
- Eardley – Joan – painter
- Hitchcock – Alfred – film-maker
- Freddie – Mercury – singer/composer
- Wolves FC – Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club
- Frédéric Back – animator
- McCartney – Paul – singer/composer
- Muir – Edwin – poet
- Frost – Robert – poet
- Wilfred O – Owen – poet
- Rivera – Diego – painter
- Leonardo – Da Vinci – painter/scientist/engineer
- Rolf H – Harris – painter/TV personality
- Orozco – José Clemente – painter
- Wilde – Oscar – poet/playwright
- Welles – Orson – actor/film-maker
- Tchaikovsky – Peter Ilyich – composer
- Bonnard – Pierre – painter
- Coker – Peter – painter/printmaker
- Vivaldi – Antonio – composer
- Charles Schulz – Illustrator of ‘Peanuts’
- National G – Gallery, London
- Babe – Oliver Norvill Hardy – actor
- Stan – Laurel – actor
- Jostein Gaarder – author/philosopher
- Goya – Francisco José – painter/printmaker
- Swift – Graham – author
- Palin – Michael – traveller/writer
- Elgar – Edward – composer
- Lao-Tzu – philosopher
- Goodwin – Albert – painter
- Degas – Edgar – painter/sculptor/printmaker
- Talking Heads – rock group led by David Byrne
- Lance Armstrong – cyclist
- Groucho – Marx – actor/writer
- Güllich – Wolfgang – climber
- McNaughton – Colin – poet
- Fred Astaire – actor/dancer
- Ustinov – Peter – writer/actor/raconteur
- Puccini – Giacomo – composer
- Lonnie Donnie – Donegan – musician
- Luis B – Buñuel – Film-maker
- Darcey – Bussell – Ballet dancer
- Sylvie G – Guillem – Ballet dancer
- Roma – capital of Italy
- Neruda – Pablo – poet
- Frank Sinatra – singer
- Tommy Cooper – magician/comedian
- Hokusai – Katshushika – printmaker
- Weinberger – Harry – painter/tutor
- Coltrane – John – jazz musician, saxophone
- Mariza – Portuguese Fado singer
- Hancock – Herbie – jazz musician, piano
- Sobers – Sir Garfield – cricketer
- Hopper – Edward – painter
- Whistler – James Abbott McNeil – painter
- Bischofsmais – Village in Bavaria
- Buena Vista – Social Club – Cuban jazz band
- Callas – Maria – singer
- Brothers B – Brecker – Michael & Randy – jazz musicians, saxophone & trumpet
- Wolferstetter – Bavarian wheat beer
- Billy C – Connolly – comedian/actor/banjo player
- H & M – Henri & Maria
- Verdi – Guiseppe – composer
2 comments
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February 13, 2011 at 10:38 am
Henri
A very long list – but one I can vouch for! I have a much smaller list but one on it is you and therefore all of these as well.
Love
Henri
x
September 3, 2014 at 11:43 pm
Monika Spademan
Is this really you? I’ve looked at your website and your Murals are amazing! I feel privileged to know you! Such talent!!!