Talented Portsmouth artist rediscovers craft after adding portrait to community gallery

Talented Richard Goss, who has lived in Somers Town for more than 40 years, has been inspired to take up art once again following his creation of a lino print self-portrait that was chosen to appear in the Somers Town Street Gallery.

The gallery was a community project run by Portsmouth City Council that gave local residents the chance to brighten up boarding around two condemned tower blocks – Leamington and Horatia Houses – in the city centre.

Although Richard, 86, had not worked on any pieces for a long time due to his deteriorating condition, he was excited to get involved and aided by his daughter Helen.

Richard, who used to run Goss Confectionary in Palmerston Road, said: ‘I was keen to get involved so I could exhibit again and see how other artists were fairing under the lockdown. I needed Helen to help me with the logistics of producing the piece. We had fun painting the lino print. It encouraged me to pick up a paintbrush again and helped me work out different techniques to suit my current abilities.

‘I feel now, that I can get back into my art. I have a new project planned and Helen is also going to take me to see the portrait in the Somers Town Self-Portrait Gallery soon. I am really looking forward to trying out some new techniques and styles, I have moved to abstract from realism in the hope that I can start producing some colourful pieces to make people smile.’

Helen, 55, who lives in Southsea was ‘worried’ her dad would not be able to work on his art after suffering a fall in 2020, that caused him to sustain a head injury and break his back, as well as his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2021.

She said: ‘I looked through his art and discovered a lino print that he had discarded previously as something he did not want to pursue and suggested we print it.

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‘Dad agreed and picked up a paintbrush to apply the ink for the first time in over two years, it was an amazing moment.

‘He produced four prints that we both loved, we thought that they looked like stages of his lockdown experience. One where his mouth was missing, which we thought represented his feelings of isolation, one that when upside down looked like The Scream, no need for explanation there. The third had a halo of light all around, which I thought symbolised how dad was just lovely throughout, jolly, courteous and grateful to everyone who helped him and the fourth a complete and clear likeness, depicting how he has remained himself though this ordeal.’

Richard's piece is one of nearly 650 contributions by local people to the Somers Town Self-Portrait Gallery, which forms part of the larger Somers Town Street Gallery.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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