Artist displays his talent on canvasses of startling contrast

His railway theme proved such a winner that he has since been commissioned to work on three other sites for the

supermarket.

He said: "While I admit to having something of a thespian streak to my

lecturing style, when it comes to

painting I remain resolutely private, not in the least a showman. And one can be working away on the scaffolding with all the intense concentration that one

normally associates with the studio, only to be occasionally aware of a gazing

presence from the street below."

Mr Willson's book, simply titled Graeme Willson, is not an attempt to appeal to those who feel they have some god-given right to understand and comment on art, where the masses do not.

"Anyone expecting in this book the

convoluted and fashionable jargon that seems to plague certain sections of

academic life will be sadly disappointed," he said.

"The presentation of the visual arts through galleries has improved considerably over the last 20 to 30 years. Most public, and some private galleries now go out of their way to make their

exhibitions and collections accessible to the public," he said.

Mr Willson, 47, said not everything in the art world is rosy. "Even today certain parts of the art world can feel like a 'closed circuit' in which exclusivity confers snob value to those on the inside."

He said: "Much of the so-called avante garde seem to cultivate either a deliberate obscurity or a contrived shock effect. And much of the written commentary or apologetics is either downright pretentious or depressingly jargon-ridden."

A visit to a Van Gough Museum as a child led to an experience Mr Willson describes as a 'bolt from the blue.'

He realised by his mid-teens he was

nothing like Vincent, either in work or temperament, but the die was cast.

Although armed with a degree in Art History, Mr Willson could never abandon the practical in favour of just theory.

He said: "Much as I loved the subject, and still do in my own way, I knew, upon graduation, that I was not temperamentally suited to a life of scholarship or gallery administration. More

importantly, the urge to paint was still gnawing at me like a demon."

He said: "I think it is quite unusual for an artist to actually write a book about his or her own work. It is probably a more modest way of examining work. Writing the book was something of a stocktaking experience, a sort of what have I done and where do I go from here exercise."

Following experiences both north and south, Mr Willson arrived in Ilkley in 1991. It clearly provides him with an artistic-friendly environment.

"Living in Ilkley means not only close contact with my children in Otley, but also the benefits of a more serene and sympathetic environment. Certainly there are things that I miss about the city life and Leeds in particular, but small town life has its compensations," he said.

Mr Willson enjoys the peace and quiet of Ilkley compared to the city, but he did not come to the town to plonk his easel on the moor and laze away the days - his book shows that quite clearly.

Graeme Willson (the book) is divided into four main sections; studio work, public art, portraiture and ecclesiastical work.

Reflecting on his studio work, Mr Willson said: "In my own case, I think that my studio work, in common with many other artists, is essentially a

journey in which, hopefully, discoveries and observations are made and shared with a wider circle of friends and acquaintances."

The chapter contains pictures both familiar and unusual. Mr Willson has captured such scenes as Almscliffe Craggs, Bolton Priory and Bolton Woods.

Mr Willson's chapter on public art tries to stress the point he is not a man who glorifies in 'showing off' his work on a grand scale.

"Personally, I had never had any aspirations to being a 'community artist.' I was, and still am, primarily an artist who occasionally works on a large scale in a public space. When and where it is appropriate, consultation with local people may take place, but normally I work on my own or with a few assistants," he said.

Portraiture is another important area of Mr Willson's work. He said: "The primary function of portrait painting is, of course, to obtain a likeness. It is very easy to underestimate the importance of the

secondary function, that it be a good painting. This may be an obvious thing to say, but it is actually possible to have a good likeness that is a deadly dull

picture, and a poor likeness that is

nevertheless an excellent painting."

Famous faces and those close to Mr Willson can be found in the book, with one particular picture of a relaxed looking Sir John Harvey Jones. Clearly he was not in a 'trouble shooting' mood

during his sessions with Mr Willson.

Ecclesiastical work has not been all plain sailing for the Ilkley artist. In the final chapter of his book, he demonstrates how sensitive the public can be.

"My first attempt at an ecclesiastical commission did not end happily." A painting titled The Crucifixion was painted for the Leeds University Anglican Chaplaincy in 1975.

It was not well received by the senior chaplain and certain members of the

congregation.

Perhaps they were not ready to accept the fact that a painting with such a title could feature a man in leathers and a motor cycle helmet.

Mr Willson said: "I think there are always different ways of doing things. You can take a traditional approach or produce something rather more contemporary. I can produce a contemporary painting of a Christ scene, just as Shakespeare plays can be given a modern look."

However, Mr Willson has enjoyed happier times since. The book shows the artist's Christ in Majesty with St Cuthbert and St George, York Minster.

He said: "The Christ In Majesty has probably been the most ambitious and challenging of all my ecclesiastical works, in the sense that the historical sensitivities and public expectations have probably had to prevail over the realm of private or personal interpretation."

What is clear from this journey through Mr Willson's world is his love of art. There is a refreshing lack of the jargon he himself clearly despises and he is

convinced art remains as important as ever as we head for the the 21st century.

"I continue to be amazed at painting's ability to both re-invent itself and its capacity to command a loyal audience from a relatively large section of the

public," he said.

Finally, we take a trip back to the supermarket. Mr Willson is pleased the public can see his work. "It would have been just as easy for the supermarket to fill the space with advertising," he said.

"Hopefully, shoppers will now think about more 'elevated' things as they decide what to buy," joked Mr Willson.

l Graeme Willson is available from The Grove Bookshop, Ilkley, and at branches of Waterstones, priced £7.50.

n Our apologies to readers and Mr Willson that we were unable to

reproduce the pictures in the full glory of their original colour.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.