Ian Parmiter, aka Lord Sonic, tells how art has helped him hold Parkinson's at bay as his debut exhibition opens at Court X in Southsea

There are dozens of sculptures in every room, on every surface, in the hallways, all in Ian’s distinctive style. Some are recognisably human figures, others are animals, and others? Only Ian knows. Some span from floor to ceiling – the giant figure of The Birdwatcher gazes skyward, while some would sit nicely on the mantelpiece.

There are also paintings on wood, canvas and paper, from A4 to huge images on walls and stacked up everywhere. It’s a dizzying menagerie, an Aladdin’s cave, a cornucopia of arresting artworks around every corner. As Ian shows us around he gives us the names of some of the pieces – Candyfloss Bellyflop, Man Gently Cycling Away From The Apocalypse, Lonely Beachcomber – many more are nameless.

Ian has been steadily working away on his art for the past six years, but he is now staging his first ever solo exhibition – The Beauty and Pain of Being Lord Sonic.

‘Lord Sonic’ is Ian’s alter ego from his other job – guitarist in Emptifish, the Pompey surf-punks who ruled the city in the 1980s. The band were reactivated in 2016 and have been gigging regularly since, even finally releasing their debut album 35 years in, called Sonic Love it features a cover painting by the guitarist.

However, about a decade ago, the nationally renowned antiques dealer was diagnosed with Parkinson’s – the neurological movement disorder which causes tremors and makes muscles inflexible.

Ian, though, has refused to let the disease define him, or stop him from doing what he loves. To that end, he can often be seen taking an early morning ride along the seafront or taking a dip in the sea. He will be at antique and car boot fairs from Hayling Island to Kempton several times a week and still runs the shop on Albert Road, Southsea.

Creating art has become a key part in maintaining this lifestyle.

‘Life isn't so bad,’ says Ian, ‘it's only an illness, you can beat it your own way.

‘Sometimes you have to think yourself through it – thinking yourself into the right spot and getting up and going.

‘I'm sure in the old days they didn't want you to do anything, they wanted you to just sit there and... That's not what I want to do.

‘I'll probably go out falling off during my stage act,’ Emptifish shows often feature Ian clambering up on a precarious multi-piece podium and playing on top of it, several feet over everyone’s heads, ‘that would be the best way to go wouldn't it?’ he laughs.

When Emptifish frontman George Hart first approached Ian with the idea of restarting the band, Ian hadn’t played in years. As Ian says, he has had to ‘relearn how to play guitar three times,’ since the band has resumed activity thanks to the effects of his condition.

Explaining his artistic roots, Ian says: ‘I used to do the artwork for Emptifish – I did the logo, and I used to paint my guitar cases and make T-shirts and things like that, so I always did that kind of thing, but then I didn't do anything for years.

‘About six years ago I decided to do a little bit of painting, George did as well, just for a laugh. Then I thought: “I like this”, it definitely helped me, and I found this style coming out.

‘It was my style, but at the same time it was coming from somewhere else as well. I carried on going with it, and it morphed – it's changing again now.’ He shows us a large bound book filling up with page after page of tribal designs and patterns. ‘I do these little paintings every day – dead simple but it keeps my eye in. I started it a couple of weeks ago and I've done hundreds of them.

‘It keeps the mind working, you know? You feel like you've achieved something every day.’

Working from the studio he made in the back garden, Ian estimates he’s created about 300 sculptures and just as many paintings, ‘maybe more.’

A recurring theme in his work is energy, movement and the power of positivity.

‘I call it primitive art – it's almost like caveman art, but there's definitely a form of classicism in there as well. It's my version of everything – a modern version.’

Ian will often scavenge from the shoreline for materials.

‘I like getting wood that's already had a life. It's recycling and also I feel like it's got some kind of energy in it – like if it was from an old boat, or it came from a church – that energy is important to my work. If it's going in the skip, I might as well reuse it.

‘It all tells a story, and I use it for reference, I can explain myself through my art – especially the pieces with notched out sections and the ones with holes in – it's all about energy and trapped energy, stored energy and released energy.

‘It really interests me in what drives a man forward, especially someone like me who against the odds is still going. I've had quite a few knocks, but I just keep pushing forward and that's all I can do.

‘If you keep your body fit and your mind strong, they pull each other along. The mind gets the body out of bed and the body gets the mind out of bed.

‘It's perpetual motion, almost. Sometimes one's not working, but it pulls the other one forward. If I wasn't strong, I wouldn't be able to move forward. I'm stronger than 10 men in my heart and my head.

‘If you've got something to do and the mind is active, you can move forward, but if the mind is blank, with no thought, you just stop and there's no way forward.’

April 11 is World Parkinson's Day, and Ian he is utterly determined to get the better of the condition.

‘I am going to get better,’ he says.

‘Everyone says you're going to get worse, but I am determined to get better. The main problem with Parkinsons is the medication, it makes you feel worse than the illness.

‘It's like a snooker player who plans 10 shots ahead, I have to do it like that to keep myself motivated.

‘My mind is always active.’

Ian was encouraged to put on a show by his friend and now agent, Mark Parham.

‘It might not be to everybody's taste, but I hope they can see what I'm trying to do, and showing my positivity,’ he adds.

The exhibition runs from today until April 24 at Court X on Eastern Parade, Southsea. Go to lordsonic.co.uk.