In 2014 I was commissioned by Mark Battye, owner of Trojan Cars on Francis Avenue, Southsea to paint the entire side of his building with a mural to link with the opening of his new Classics showroom. In terms of scale, it's currently the largest commercial mural in Portsmouth - which is nice!
The theme is based around classic sixties automobilia and Americana. Featuring a classic '59 Cadillac, Norton and Lambrettas and archetypal 'Route 66' rock 'n' roll diner! The style is drenched in moody Edward Hopper meets Dennis Hopper atmosphere; the heady days of road tripping across the vast desert landscapes of Arizona and Texas... The character reclining on his scooter with his feet on the bars, enjoying an end of the road cigarette is loosely based on Mark himself...
Once I'd finished the painting, the bones of a narrative linking all the characters together began to emerge, like a drifter wandering in out of the twilight. Who are these guys? Who's the guy staring into his beer at the end of the bar? What's their relationship? Who are these three mysterious riders coming in from the desert? Where have they come from? What are they doing in this place?
