Work by New Artist Alex Millar - News & Events

Washington Green are delighted to introduce the work of artist Alex Millar, with the release of three new limited edition giclees this autumn.

Alex was born in 1960 in the small mining community of Springside near Kilmarnock in Scotland. After leaving school in 1976 he moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne and after a number of different jobs he settled down in 1988 to become a professional artist.

A completely self taught artist, Alex spent many years developing his own style, using images remembered from his childhood and life in Tyneside as models for his paintings. Much of Alex’s inspiration for these new paintings comes from such characters and in particular from the humour of the street drunk: “I love the almost choreographed movements of the street drunk with his vertically challenged, about to fall over but never quite does it routine - to me it is every bit as entertaining as Swan Lake”.

To me it is every bit as entertaining as Swan Lake.

The artistic style of Alex’s work is also linked to his northern roots: “Having lived in the northern half of Britain all my life, I try to capture the subtle light that is particular to that part of the country. The under painting is predominantly blue and then each subsequent layer added is a touch warmer than the last and lifts the painting giving the misty ghostlike quality to the background. When this is complete the dark figure leaps out of the canvas.”