Marcus Goldson, Artist

Although I originally trained as a sculptor, I turned to watercolours at about the time of my move to Budapest (1993). I was initially inspired to use it by seeing the works of artists like J.M.W. Turner, Paul Hogarth and John Singer Sargent. It seemed like a versatile and very portable medium and I associated it with travel, especially when I saw the works of the artists mentioned above. I’ve taken my watercolours with me to many parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle-East.

I haven’t restricted myself to any particular style or subject matter. Most of my pictures are derived from observations of real life with a little embellishment by me. I like depicting scenes where the narrative has been interrupted, sometimes at a humorous point in the story. I also pay a lot of attention to the details in my pictures because it is important to the story what someone is eating or drinking, what colour and style their earrings are, what brand of beer, wine, ethanol or coffee that businessman is having for breakfast etc. Without exception all these pictures have been inspired by real people in real places.

Growing up in Kenya has influenced my paintings in many ways, especially colour and pattern. Ostensibly, the paintings of palms and African animals are to remind myself of home. The designs featuring African wildlife came about through looking at pattern and also the desire to paint an elephant or zebra from a different perspective and point of view other than that of standing contentedly under another lone thorn tree.

I did my art training in sculpture (welded steel, cast iron) and I still occasionally create sculptural pieces that are used as decoration or as functional pieces for interiors. I mainly use aluminium cans or cardboard boxes that have been thrown out. Trees are a favourite theme but I have also produced puppets and specialist sets for theatre as well.

As well as producing my own works, I have illustrated for and had my paintings published in a variety of newspapers and magazines: Cosmopolitan, Playboy, FHM, The Cairo Times, Egypt Today, Time Out Budapest, Népszabadság, Nők Lapja, Forbes Hungary, Kreatív Magazin Hungary, ADAC Reisemagazin and various online publications. My artwork has been exhibited in art fairs and galleries in the UK, Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Kenya and the US. You might come across some of my paintings, sculptures and wall murals in a few well-known (and some not so well known) bars, cafés and even schools around the world.