Artist captures nostalgic scenes from Portsmouth's past

Tucked away in his workshop, the 64-year-old artist has created intricate, nostalgic paintings of familiar scenes of Gosport and Portsmouth. Each one has his own unique touch, whether he spins a new light, season, weather or even weaves characters into the pieces.

One of Neil’s most popular paintings is of Old Commercial Road at Christmas, main picture, that was completed in June this year. As Portsmouth is the birthplace of Charles Dickens, it seemed only right for him to feature his iconic characters in one of his most festive paintings.

Look closely and you will be able to spot Fagin as he calls up to Scrooge who is peering out of the window in the bottom left corner. And there is Oliver Twist, too, pleading for more outside one of the grand houses,second house from the right.

‘Painting a scene is about the ambience,’ says Neil, 64, as he talks me through this painting.

‘With the winter scenes you can get lovely indigo-blues in the skies and clouds, get reflections out of puddles and the snow brightens everything.

‘The first motivation for this one, main picture, was that it was a nice, old-fashioned painting of one of the oldest parts in Portsmouth.

‘As I started going through it, I wanted to do a snow scene and put some characters in.

‘I thought, if I’m going to populate that scene, let’s mix them in. This is quite a popular one.’

Neil, who was born in Southsea and raised in Gosport, said his love for painting was inherited from his father.

He explains: ‘My dad was in the navy but liked art a lot, particularly ink drawings, so it was in the family. When I was 16, I had to choose whether I did an apprenticeship or went to art college.

‘I looked at Portsmouth Art College, in Winston Churchill Avenue, but there was no money at the time. I decided not to go there and went into an engineering apprenticeship in Portsmouth Dockyard.’

Instead of pursuing a career in art, Neil became a draughtsman and worked across the country for several different companies until he retired nearly four years ago.

‘The career took over, then the wife and kids came along so I was too busy to do any art.

‘But when I retired, I started painting some figure busts.

‘I didn’t get any formal training. I went for a couple of sessions at an art gallery in Fareham to get me under way but it was mostly self-taught.’

The father-of-three laughs and says: ‘The internet is great. I watched a lot of YouTube videos.’

His paintings combine both his passions – art and history. He smiles and says: ‘The detective work is half the fun.

‘I love the local history. I have a huge catalogue from research and got very friendly with The Portsmouth Society.’

Neil’s first painting was of Stubbington, which was completed in November 2016.

It has been very successful with more than 330 copies sold.

Neil adds: ‘I was really pleased with it. It was like my baby.’

He is also the author of the Portsmouth Reflections and Gosport Reflections, books of then-and-now photographs of the area.

But Neil says that painting is a whole different ball game. He says: ‘Forking out £12 for a coffee table book is a bit different to having a framed print to put on the wall.

‘I sell prints for £35 each and the originals have now gone on to Facebook for just under £2,000 – but I don’t want to sell them anyway.

‘My wife is pressuring me because you can see the space we have,’ says Neil, as he nods to the neighbouring room where his paintings cover every inch of the wall.

‘I’m quite sentimental about my paintings, I don’t want to let them go.

‘There’s never enough money in this game so it’s just for fun and getting to know people.’

At 64 Neil says painting is the best ‘relaxant’ for him –and he wishes he had discovered his hobby sooner.

‘I eased into this. My studio is just through there so I can still talk to my wife,’ points Neil.

‘I always feared, because I was in a high-pressure job, that I wouldn’t know how to cope with retirement.’

He continues: ‘I had a stressful existence and I wish I’d discovered this hobby then – it’s a relaxant. I’ve had a lifetime of deadlines so it’s great I don’t with this.

‘I don’t ever feel like painting puts pressure on me – it’s a total pleasure.’

On average, each painting takes Neil 240 hours to complete.

‘It can be all day.

‘On average for the Christmas one, main picture, I was painting six hours a day,’ he says.

‘I have never started one and not completed it. But I have felt like giving up at times.’

Neil says one of the best things he has is his wife, Patricia.

‘My wife will tell me what she likes or what is wrong – she’s my biggest critic but she’s fantastic.

‘We went to school together so we’ve known each other for so long.

‘Before I finish a painting, she probably sees it 20 times.

‘She’s very supportive. I get away with murder really with the amount of time I spend painting.’

When he steps away from his masterpieces, Neil says he feels an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

‘I feel very content that someone wants to buy it and put it on their wall. It’s the satisfaction that someone else enjoys it.’

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