Did I go to art school?

Definitely No !

No art college Brian for me, my Dad, bless him, insisted when I was fifteen I had to have a proper job as he would put it. Serve as an apprentice earning a living with responsibility and not dependent on the State in any way.

He taught me perspective and encouraged all of us children to follow a pass time of some kind or another, but to go to art school he considered a ‘cop out’ from the main aim in life for a grown up, he considered that was to provide for his family and children with a proper job.  

My Dad always had encouragement for us all though in what ever we did, with me it was my music, my dancing and also the sketches I did even as a child. Both my parents insisted we all went to church every Sunday which involved choir practice for me, this of coarse introduced me to the choirmaster at that time, his name was Mr Wraight and he played the organ at St Marks church in Pysons Road offering to my parents one day to give me lessons on the piano which Dad found the money for one way or another.

I remember what we all called Wraight’s Alley off Chatham Street (Eagle Hill, you would know it by) he was, I believe the owner or manager of a large coach works down there.

Mr Wraight’s hobby was oil painting, which he carried out in his front room where the piano was. His paintings were unbelievable, I have often wondered as I got older where all his pictures went, but I remember the piano lessons ‘went out the window’ so to speak when he found I was more interested in art than music at that time. So you could say I was schooled by a Master, which he definitely was.

I never told Dad and I don’t think he ever found out that my lessons were taken up with drawing and sketching instead of doing scales on the piano. Ever since those heady days I can’t be without a sketch pad and pencil something my dear wife has learnt to live with, what that truly talented man gave to me as a foundation, has given me so much pleasure over the years adding to my very full life, the relaxation and calmness it creates has given me a peace in times of intense pressure from every day life that only immersion in a subject that needs to be studied gives you.

Thanks for your interest Brian; I hope this explains things a little more.

Thanks for stopping by.