Art of the present and the past
L S Lowry’s Art & Andrew Alan Matthews Art
When I went to University I loved the whole learning experience I attended lectures on various artists and one artist who stood out to me was L S Lowry.
I used to think Lowry’s Art was not very good, that was until the Art lecture on Lowry.
Now Lowry was capable of producing a high degree of art and was an accomplished artist. He chose to paint in his style. I also choose to paint in my style.
Lowry’s Art is nostalgic & a heritage of 20th century life of Manchester & Salford
I believe My Art & videos are nostalgic of modern Manchester & Salford
Now nobody paints like Lowry, he painted in oils & only used five colours, almost like a fresco building thick layers of paint.
I use a wide colour pallet & use Acrylics; I prefer this paint as it gives me the free-flowing style I am looking for and I can apply my paint in thick layers to give texture.
I put emphasis on dark and light using lots of colour to give a modern but nostalgic feel to the Art trying to reflect Manchester & Salford today.
Now Lowry painted in muted greys and whites & reflected Salford & Manchester at the time.
Manchester in the 19th century was the hub of the British empire exporting around the world & workers were not regarded as human beings but as cogs in the machinery of the industrial revolution & conditions were poor.
Lowry wanted to paint a story image of the people of his time. he had selective vision and only put in what he wanted to put in reflecting his vision of life at the time. in a way this is what I do in my art.
I select modern Manchester and Salford scenes and try to do a story image of the people and Manchester and Salford today.
Lowry chose to paint his art in a primitive way. Just like cave paintings of primeval man coming from the primordial soup of life. he wanted to breathe life into his art.
Lowry’s art is nostalgic of his time, I Believe My art is also nostalgic of my time.
I try to bring my characters to life in the painting by the use of my croquis method in my style, allowing the characters to evolve from the paint.
Lowry was an expressive painter, so am I.
I try to express Manchester and Salford in my style allowing the characters to evolve and come to life in the paintings I produce
I try to paint a picture of the people & scenes of Manchester, Salford and beyond and express it in my style and is an expression of Modern life as I see it today.
In my Work stress collection, which can be found on my website there can be a resemblance of workers in call centres as cogs in modern machinery with the aid of the computer.
The “I am not a number?” painting and corresponding artwork is a reflection of this modern-day technological revolution. and of people working in call centres, worker Bees and cogs in the modern technological revolution.
But is only a selective vision of Modern work today.
some companies are better than others.
The company I work for now is a good ethical company that looks after the wellbeing of the staff they employ.
I suffer from stress and I use my art to overcome this, by using my website and video diaries to voice my opinions, this helps relieve my stress.
Now Lowry’s art is a memory of a past gone by with a rich heritage of Salford & Manchester nostalgia. I believe my art is nostalgia of modern Manchester & Salford.
I try to reflect the mood of people and scenes in my videos and paintings and put this on canvas in my style.
I paint my art because I enjoy it and it helps me to deal with my stress.
Now you have got to enjoy life to the full because you never know when the big man or woman upstairs is going to say come in number 13 your time is up.
and I take a leaf out of my dad’s book now and always look on the bright side of life.
So, my message to you is BEE positive guys
Andy likes the works of L.S Lowry, Michelangelo, William Morris, Picasso and Salvador Dali. Vincent Van Gogh and :-
Songs and things I Like
The genius that is, John Cooper Clarke, the greatest modern poet that ever lived
Beezley street – it could be any street in Salford or Manchester Moss Side - https://youtu.be/3mzrnVbsaXk
Thirty six hours - https://youtu.be/CIm5C10a3Ts
Frank sinatra song I did it my way https://youtu.be/9SXWX6qg0y4
always look on the bright side of life link https://youtu.be/SJUhlRoBL8M
The Good the Bad and the Ugly https://youtu.be/AFa1-kciCb4 a film my Dad loved
Madness , I chase the Devil AKA Ironshirt https://youtu.be/c15cNjcVP1c
Oasis The Masterplan. Lowry. https://youtu.be/dPPi2D6GK7A
John Clease Truth https://www.facebook.com/thejohncleese/videos/586579685568675/?t=1
Lowrys Matchstick Men https://youtu.be/kmopSVOMSsU