My interest in art started when I was doing an arts foundation course with the Open University in the late 1970s. Soon after that, I attended Essex University as a mature student between 1980-83, and graduated with an honours degree in Art History & Theory. That wonderful time at the University of Essex gave me the opportunity to learn something about the ‘Story of Art’.

I have been painting for about 15 years; self-taught and still learning. I have been using acrylic media to express my work, because the quick drying time of acrylic paint, and the things you can add to it, make it a good medium for the paintings I like doing. I will be introducing some oil paintings. I particularly like the ‘alla prima’ technique. This is wet paint applied to previous layers of wet paint. This approach allows me to capture a subject’s essence quickly, and complete a painting in one session.

Paintings under ‘Rustic Gallery‘ show scenes of our natural surroundings. I have tried to instil a sense of mystery in some. There are no people in the paintings because I want the viewer to be that human presence, and possibly round the corner with me.

Work under ‘Spots of Time‘ shows an attempt to do some abstract painting. It has always intrigued me why some artists make a journey from doing figurative work and stay with an abstract style. It rarely happens the other way around. I think fundamentally it is about our search to find that ‘spot of time‘ which can ‘lift us up’. 

Paintings under ‘Devon & Cornwall’ are of locations I am revisiting in 2024/25. These places are very special to me, and I have used a wide range of materials to recapture some of the magic these places hold for me

Please feel free to contact me on my email address: paulgoughartist@gmail.com