Greg is our music man who captures iconic bands and gigs in his paintings and prints. His diverse interests and creative inspiration is clear to see in the 5th in our All About Me interview series.
What do you Make?
I paint and make prints inspired by rock and pop music. I predominantly paint using gouache and acrylic and I make prints from lino cuts. I scan my paintings and make high quality prints to sell at markets and on my Etsy site. I have found that the work I make of London based artists, or concerts within the local north London area, have generated a lot of interest and this has become my main area of focus.
How long have you been running your creative business?
I studied Graphic Design at art college, and I’ve held solo exhibitions of my work in Leeds, Manchester, and London but the idea of running a creative business became more concrete during the Covid lockdown period. In 2023 I launched my Etsy business and started selling my work at markets. I’ve been delighted with the positive feedback I’ve received so far, and this led me to join Muswell Hill Creatives earlier this year to try and develop my business further.
I paint and make prints inspired by rock and pop music. I predominantly paint using gouache and acrylic and I make prints from lino cuts. I scan my paintings and make high quality prints to sell at markets and on my Etsy site. I have found that the work I make of London based artists, or concerts within the local north London area, have generated a lot of interest and this has become my main area of focus.
How long have you been running your creative business?
I studied Graphic Design at art college, and I’ve held solo exhibitions of my work in Leeds, Manchester, and London but the idea of running a creative business became more concrete during the Covid lockdown period. In 2023 I launched my Etsy business and started selling my work at markets. I’ve been delighted with the positive feedback I’ve received so far, and this led me to join Muswell Hill Creatives earlier this year to try and develop my business further.
Do you work at this full-time on your creative business or alongside other work? Tell us about your other work
I run my creative business alongside my job in a university where I help students with a wide range of queries including issues related to wellbeing, fees, visa, and accommodation.
How did you learn your craft - are you self-taught or did you attend courses - if so what and where?
My family is quite artistic. I remember spending hours drawing and painting with my mum when I was young, and my grandma always exhibited her watercolour paintings in local galleries. Art lessons felt like a natural fit for me at school, so I was delighted when I got into Leeds College of Art and Design at 16. I studied Graphic Design for my degree but many of the skills I have developed have been self-taught through lots of experimentation and trial & error!
What inspired you to start your creative business?
Who rather than what! I met my wife in 2021 and she runs a business via Etsy as a seamstress and was a member of Muswell Hill Creatives in the past. She showed me that it was possible to make a go of a creative business and she believed in my work enough to inspire me to try and turn my craft into a business.
I run my creative business alongside my job in a university where I help students with a wide range of queries including issues related to wellbeing, fees, visa, and accommodation.
How did you learn your craft - are you self-taught or did you attend courses - if so what and where?
My family is quite artistic. I remember spending hours drawing and painting with my mum when I was young, and my grandma always exhibited her watercolour paintings in local galleries. Art lessons felt like a natural fit for me at school, so I was delighted when I got into Leeds College of Art and Design at 16. I studied Graphic Design for my degree but many of the skills I have developed have been self-taught through lots of experimentation and trial & error!
What inspired you to start your creative business?
Who rather than what! I met my wife in 2021 and she runs a business via Etsy as a seamstress and was a member of Muswell Hill Creatives in the past. She showed me that it was possible to make a go of a creative business and she believed in my work enough to inspire me to try and turn my craft into a business.
What is it you love most about your particular creative process?
I love it when an idea comes to me, and I suddenly feel excited and want to work on it as soon as possible. Sometimes the ideas are fully formed and sometimes I need to develop the idea more until I’m happy with it. The part of the process I really love is getting paint onto paper or canvas for the first time and seeing the idea start to take shape. I also love seeing the finished work and I get excited about displaying the work for the first time in public. There’s no way of knowing what will click with people. There are some pieces that I think will work and others I’m less sure about. The public are the best judges and they have helped to steer me towards what works more often than not!
Is there another craft you are drawn to other than your own?
I’ve always been interested in typography, and I recently bought an excellent signwriting book by Joby Carter. I’m looking at ways in which I can try and bring more of this into my own work. I really got into lino prints last year and tried to introduce more of that into what I produce. I love all kinds of music and go to plenty of gigs, but I sadly don’t have any musical ability!
I love it when an idea comes to me, and I suddenly feel excited and want to work on it as soon as possible. Sometimes the ideas are fully formed and sometimes I need to develop the idea more until I’m happy with it. The part of the process I really love is getting paint onto paper or canvas for the first time and seeing the idea start to take shape. I also love seeing the finished work and I get excited about displaying the work for the first time in public. There’s no way of knowing what will click with people. There are some pieces that I think will work and others I’m less sure about. The public are the best judges and they have helped to steer me towards what works more often than not!
Is there another craft you are drawn to other than your own?
I’ve always been interested in typography, and I recently bought an excellent signwriting book by Joby Carter. I’m looking at ways in which I can try and bring more of this into my own work. I really got into lino prints last year and tried to introduce more of that into what I produce. I love all kinds of music and go to plenty of gigs, but I sadly don’t have any musical ability!
Where do you look for creative inspiration? Exhibitions, social media etc or are there people who have inspired you?
My main source of inspiration is artwork connected to music. This can include any artwork on the front and back of albums, singles, posters, tickets and even the insert booklets found inside CDs. I spend a lot of time (and money) in record shops and photograph any design that I feel might stimulate an idea. Sometimes a memory can spark an idea. The lighting and lasers which formed the backdrop of a Massive Attack show I attended were so impressive that they became the main feature of a painting I made which became a poster.
I love the graphic art of Peter Saville who designed artwork for Joy Division, New Order, Pulp, and many others. I also love the paintings and lettering of Peter Blake. Russell Oliver, George Bellows and Ed Ruscha are some of the other artists I admire.
My uncle is an artist who has painted book covers for Penguin and Faber & Faber. I used to visit his studio when I was a child and was amazed by his skill and use of colour. Seeing his work up close was inspirational and instilled in me a strong desire to paint too.
How do you find you benefit from being part of a creative collective?
I have been so warmly welcomed by Muswell Hill Creatives since joining a few months ago. The information and advice I’ve received has been invaluable and there have been workshops and tips which have brought about new ideas and new opportunities. Most importantly, I feel supported. Working alone as an individual can be challenging at times and being part of a collective has helped me to feel more confident about the work that I do.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists, designers and makers?
Treat what you do like a serious hobby. Put in as much time as you can to develop your craft but don’t put emphasis on it being something to earn a living from (especially at the beginning). It should be something you love doing and hopefully you produce things that you feel proud of. If what you do is made with genuine passion and care, then I believe it will connect with people. Over time, as your craft continues to improve, your confidence will build, and sales and connections will increase too.
My main source of inspiration is artwork connected to music. This can include any artwork on the front and back of albums, singles, posters, tickets and even the insert booklets found inside CDs. I spend a lot of time (and money) in record shops and photograph any design that I feel might stimulate an idea. Sometimes a memory can spark an idea. The lighting and lasers which formed the backdrop of a Massive Attack show I attended were so impressive that they became the main feature of a painting I made which became a poster.
I love the graphic art of Peter Saville who designed artwork for Joy Division, New Order, Pulp, and many others. I also love the paintings and lettering of Peter Blake. Russell Oliver, George Bellows and Ed Ruscha are some of the other artists I admire.
My uncle is an artist who has painted book covers for Penguin and Faber & Faber. I used to visit his studio when I was a child and was amazed by his skill and use of colour. Seeing his work up close was inspirational and instilled in me a strong desire to paint too.
How do you find you benefit from being part of a creative collective?
I have been so warmly welcomed by Muswell Hill Creatives since joining a few months ago. The information and advice I’ve received has been invaluable and there have been workshops and tips which have brought about new ideas and new opportunities. Most importantly, I feel supported. Working alone as an individual can be challenging at times and being part of a collective has helped me to feel more confident about the work that I do.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists, designers and makers?
Treat what you do like a serious hobby. Put in as much time as you can to develop your craft but don’t put emphasis on it being something to earn a living from (especially at the beginning). It should be something you love doing and hopefully you produce things that you feel proud of. If what you do is made with genuine passion and care, then I believe it will connect with people. Over time, as your craft continues to improve, your confidence will build, and sales and connections will increase too.
What is the biggest challenge of running a creative business?
I enjoy the ideas phase and producing the work. However, the biggest challenge is keeping on top of the different aspects of the business which don’t involve the main creative process such as printing, packaging, and postage. I also don’t naturally take to social media and find it awkward at times trying to promote myself or my work. I guess this is an issue that a lot of artists encounter but it’s something I’m trying to work on.
When you're not working on your business, how do you like to spend your time?
I love music and go to concerts and festivals when time and money allow! My wife and I enjoy going for walks in nature and visiting different parts of the country. Time with family and friends is really important but I also enjoy being at home watching a good TV series. I also enjoy watching football at different grounds across the country and I play football once a week. I can’t get around the pitch as well as I used to, so I’ve had to hone my skills as a goalkeeper!
I enjoy the ideas phase and producing the work. However, the biggest challenge is keeping on top of the different aspects of the business which don’t involve the main creative process such as printing, packaging, and postage. I also don’t naturally take to social media and find it awkward at times trying to promote myself or my work. I guess this is an issue that a lot of artists encounter but it’s something I’m trying to work on.
When you're not working on your business, how do you like to spend your time?
I love music and go to concerts and festivals when time and money allow! My wife and I enjoy going for walks in nature and visiting different parts of the country. Time with family and friends is really important but I also enjoy being at home watching a good TV series. I also enjoy watching football at different grounds across the country and I play football once a week. I can’t get around the pitch as well as I used to, so I’ve had to hone my skills as a goalkeeper!
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