Jeff Rowland

After studying art at North Tyneside College, Jeff Rowland became self employed as a professional artist in 1984.

I used this time to experiment with all medium including glass engraving, printing and painting, but always seemed to be drawn back to oil paint. Even as a child I can remember my grandmother using oil paint in a paint by numbers set. This caught my attention and I was fascinated with the medium. I always tried other mediums because I found the process of art exciting. At this time, I had a scatter gun approach to art, working in all areas and not really having any one medium to learn my craft. Times became difficult and I had to re-train. In 2000 I did a HND in advertising/illustration as a visualizer, studying at Newcastle. While there I worked on many live briefs and was successful in winning a NEPA award (North East Print Association).

After graduating and looking for work, I just could not keep away from art. I wanted one more try at being successful in art. After exhibiting in a Northumberland gallery, my artwork was taken to the London Affordable, where I had a sell out in one day. Things began to snowball. I exhibited in Edinburgh and in Dublin with equal success. Over the past two years, I have witnessed a change in my work. I feel that I have honed my efforts and skills into compositions that really express and convey a certain atmosphere or moment.

Jeff Rowland lives in Monkseaton near to the North East coast with his partner, Alison and our son Chris. I work from a studio at home and I am an early riser, so I wake at 6.15am. By 6.45am I have made tea for Alison and after dropping her off at work, I usually start my work about 7.00 – 7.30am. I like to clear my studio before I start; it also clears my mind. I am very lucky in what I do for a living and can't wait to start the work. The night before I always make an itinerary of jobs I will be working on the next morning, so I begin by going through what is to be done; at the same time I get that all important big pot of tea on the boil. I then wake my son, Chris, make sure he has breakfast and all of his school equipment and is off to school by 8.40am.I select a new canvas and go through my little ritual. After drawing out the work and ensuring that I am happy with its progress, I am hooked. When I start to paint, I am transfixed on the progress. To me, it is rather like reading a good book: when you read it you become lost within the story and forget where you are. That is how I am with a painting, even though I paint standing at all times. The only time I am disturbed from this hypnosis is when our cat, Bailey, wants attention.

By lunch time I have my sandwich and tea while looking at the progression of work…I can't resist, I have to paint whilst eating my sandwich . Ham sandwich and oil paint make an interesting and tasty combination. My day's work can really fly by because I become so involved in the painting.At the end of the day, I look at the result, but I often just can't help adding a little more here and there. I think that is always the case with a piece of art, you are always looking for that perfect painting to produce; always seeing if I can go just that little bit further. I really do not think that an artist can find that perfect painting within his or her career, because once you have, you will go on looking.If I finish a painting that day, I am immediately drawn to the next one, and sometimes find myself painting into the night. When the day is done, and after copious amounts of tea, I finally have an evening meal with a well earned glass of red.