Billy
Billy was born in Broseley, a small town in Shropshire, England. He lived there for three years before moving with his family back to his mother’s hometown in Belfast. Apart from a number of short spells living and working in London he has spent most of his life in Belfast where he now lives with his wife in the south of the city. As a small boy Billy produced ink and pencil sketches on A4 paper of friends, family, landscapes and fictional buildings he created in his mind. Clearly, Billy was a young artist in the making but he did not pursue this endeavour and sadly the large collection of early sketches has been lost.
He did however continue his love for creating into his adult life, working as a steel fabricator and a builder. In 2010, Billy suffered problems with his physical health and was no longer able to continue working in the building trade. The sudden and dramatic change to his life forced him to confront his future and the limited options available. Recalling the sketches he produced as a young boy and the immense pleasure and satisfaction from the creating process, Billy dedicated a room in his home as a study and set about gathering paints, oils, pencils, art pads and different sized canvases. He began painting immediately using different styles and mediums though he now favours acrylic on canvas using pallet knives. Billy’s work features landmark buildings and places in Belfast. He now spends part of everyday working in his studio.
