Keith Proctor

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History and Background

I have been painting all my life; having had no formal art training, I am a self taught artist. I was first encouraged by my late father Mark Proctor, who was a commercial artist. My father could sketch almost anything very well and quickly; which always fascinated me, and I wanted to be able do it to, so he showed me how.

During the 90’s I exhibited my paintings in London at the Tryon Gallery and in the USA at the Klausner Cooperage Gallery. The past two years have seen a return to full time painting for me, as I had previously taken some time away from the obsessional painting routine I had fallen into. I have returned to painting with a fresh new outlook. To combine a life of “painting,” with our gorgeous young son “JACK” is just unbelievable. It’s going to be nice to have Jack with me on this journey and I am looking forward to it.

I find inspiration for my work all around me all the time, “like most artists” I am constantly observing shape, light and colour. It is the colours in reflected light, and the study of the effects that colours have on each other that interests me most. Other artist’s work I admire and who have inspired me are Raymond Harris Ching and the late Manfred Shatz; as I think they have both painted the effects of light, shade, and colour so well it takes my breath away.

I have previously painted most subjects but have recently concentrated on people again. Simple studies of everyday people doing everyday things, the way a person walks or stands, sometimes just the shape of some people fascinates me. I love to watch and paint them. I included my son Jack in a recent painting (Footsteps) and that has led to more and more paintings of him. He “like all young children” is beauty in motion; a totally free spirit without the weight of the world upon him yet. As we grow up, life shows us that all but kids are “truly natural” and that’s what I want to show in the paintings of Jack, a lovely little boy doing little boy things.