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c u s t o m e r  s a l e s  &  s e r v i c e.  t e l.  01709 870840  e m a i l.  sales@artistadrianwright.com

My name is Adrian Wright and I am a soldier, well technically I am called a veteran now because I was forced to leave HM service against my will, I apologize for not making this public sooner however I have had something of a bumpy ride in coming to terms with leaving the service and getting to grips with being less physically able than before due to my medical condition.Painting came into my life three years ago, I had been at home for a good while and was not able to return to my duties as soldier which was driving me insane.I needed more than a hobby, I needed a purpose in life because I remember feeling that I had lost everything that was important to me and I was in constant awful pain.During this period I was having regular visits from a CPN(shrink!) who suggested I should try my hand at painting.My wife found an artist starter kit at the local ALDI and I soon realized that I had found my salvation and more importantly something that I had a natural talent for.I would say that it took me atleast a year of painting and testing various mediums before I gained any real confidence in the work I was producing. I also had to overcome problems with the  position in which I painted and for how long because of the constant pain, which also had a habit of increasing after twenty minutes or so of painting because of the increased stress on my spine.Sad isn't it!, such a relaxed movement of moving a paint brush across a canvas can cause me such problems!.

After much persistence and determination I started to evolve as an artist, I believe confidence and self belief was the key, which was very hard to maintain during this time of constant pain and fighting to stay in the army, which was also very difficult because they needed to see an improvement in my condition which unfortunately for me was just not happening!.I also learnt to use my medication in a way that helped me maintain the painting position and I learnt other ways to help such as turning the canvas upside down so I could minimize the stretch in my arm, this of course causes many problems because I had to learn how to paint upside down, which I am proud to say have managed.How many artists do you know that can paint upside down?

My painting style has been the focus of much debate between other artists and friends, I believe this is down to the fact that my condition more often than not dictates to me the way I must work and my painting style has evolved accordingly, I now paint almost entirely with a palette knife because I find it easier to maintain the control for a longer period.Another typical feature of my work is using a very dark palette, this was never deliberate and I never realized how dark until I was told by various people around me, I never regarded this as negative feedback and if anything it just emphasized to me that I was managing to express my true emotion, the reason being that my life at that time was pretty dark and so a true reflection.

My style of painting has gained recognition from many fellow artists, galleries, art forums etc.My style has come from pure honest emotion, every part of it is me, there is a reason for everything when I paint.When I work I am in an almost sub conscious state and my feelings and emotion just poor out onto the canvas.I am never so open in real life.

Before I was an artist I had an opinion of the artworld, I remember having this thought of some guy stood next to a canvas with paint just thrown onto it in no order what so ever, just a mess to me!. The artist would be ranting on about the feeling, emotion and meaning that he has put into this abstract master piece.I still have the same opinion, because I still cant see any truth in this type of work.Maybe its because I don't know the artist and their background?, maybe I'm just an uneducated fool!.Part of me feels hypercritical but this is my honest opinion.What's your opinion? please let me know!.

its becoming more and more apparent that my art is like a language, you could say its a way for me saying something when there are no words for what I want to say!, well that's what I use it for.

I hope you have enjoyed but more importantly understood what I,m trying to say, I have been brutally honest when telling my storry and I still have much writing to do, you could say this is the first chapter!.If you have something to say about what I,ve written or maybe your life is simalar to mine!!!, please let me know.

TIME TO BE HONEST

SOLDIER TO ARTIST

by Adrian Wright

TIME TO BE PROUD

The news soon got out in the garrison town where I was living at the time that a soldier was painting (to a reasonable standard!).The army newspaper "the sixth sence" were so impressed by my work that they wrote an artikle on me.I,d been painting for just over a year, and it was the first time I had felt any sort of pride in a long time.

c u s t o m e r  s a l e s  &  s e r v i c e.  t e l.  01709 870840  e m a i l.  sales@artistadrianwright.com