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
 
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