Aidan is an English artist based in London. Self taught as a painter with a degree in Art History from UCL. He has worked as a freelance cartoonist, illustrator, children’s book author, app & game developer. For the past six years he has concentrated exclusively on painting in water colours for exhibition and commissioning himself!
Exhibitions
- The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
- The Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours
- The Royal Watercolour Society
- The Royal Society of British Artists
- The Sunday Times Watercolour Competition (2019 runner up)
- Flux
- Gemini Art Prize
- Hari Art Prize
- Gallery at Green & Stone
- TALP
I honed my watercolour skills over years as a professional illustrator for the national press, the speedy technique (using a hairdryer!) suited the tight deadlines. It became a medium I can’t be without. Especially it’s pellucidity which gives wonderful gradients and when layered, can imitate random, abstract textures.
At the moment I am working on a series of portraits of rogue flowers in man made environments.
Following William Blake’s exhortation in the “Auguries of Innocence” to:
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower.”
They are portraits of urban tenacity, indomitable nature, set against arid concrete, brick, tarmac and gritted paint.
Focusing on reduced scale, admiring life on a small stage and also trying to be alert to the random acts of kindness nature gives us, despite ourselves.
Every two pictures I work on alternate themes…often a portrait, sometimes city surrealism…like balled up aluminium foil placed in a hedge!
More details and biography can be found on my website:
I have an online portfolio of my watercolours on Behance, which is constantly updated.
https://www.behance.net/profpotts