My beginnings
I was born in the beautiful village of Innellan in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It was a peaceful part of the world that was full of life.
My Father is a good Artist and his talent has been passed to me. He taught me many techniques which I still use today. My father’s skills and my mother’s love and belief helped me develop my liking for painting. My Uncle Jimmy was also a huge influence in my art and my development in life.
Chris Connelly my Art teacher also had a big influence in my career. He spent a lot of time with me encouraging me to think positively and made me believe in myself. These were people who helped me to get into the Art world.
My favourite Artist is Salvador Dali; I find his work exciting and strange. My favourite piece of work is the ‘Persistence of Memory’. Although my style is completely different I do admire his work.
My earliest art
I won my first art competition at the age of 15 at the Opening of a Wildlife Centre in Glasgow. I remember I won a camera. The painting I did that day was a lion in watercolours. My mother to this day has kept the newspaper cutting. How thoughtful!
I won many Art competitions but my determination to develop my hidden talent drove me to experiment with new colours, materials, and visuals.
I also did backdrops for the local theatre in Dunnon for the show Peter Pan as I also enjoyed working in larger scales.
I thrived in pushing my limits as nothing in Art frightens me as my confidence is high.
Studying and career development
At 18 I moved to Glasgow to study art at Rennie Macintosh College. Later I went to do Graphic Design at Cardonald College School of Art.
However studying didn’t excite me, but an empty canvas sheet did, because it was more of a challenge than computer Art work.
I have sold a lot of my work on my travels from Glasgow to the Cotswolds, London all the way to Dorset.
I somehow in my career ended up working in hospitality and in years down the line I became a Deputy Manager of the Norfolk Royale Hotel in Bournemouth. I did enjoy this role however my passion and love was my Art.
I currently live and work in Bournemouth. I am always sketching with pen and pencil new designs or anything I see that interests me.
My Art Techniques:
Drawing and painting has become my world and I love recording everyday scenes and events that I see in my head. I love surprising people with my Art and having positive and negative feedback and constructive criticism (haven’t had that yet).
My Art covers many subjects, portraits, pets, buildings, life drawing, landscape, murals, and fantasy/abstract work. I work with a variety of media- such as graphite pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolours, pen and ink, acrylic and oil paint. Material I use ranges from paper, card to canvas, as well as walls as have done mural painting art work. I designed the walls of a school with nursery rhymes and cartoons for a school in Spain once.
I enjoy portraits and re arranging views. When I see a canvas blank I always want to throw my paints onto it and create something special.
My first exhibition is at the Norfolk Royale Hotel, where I work and I am extremely proud to bring my work to the hotel.
Amnesty international in defence of all human rights has played an importance role in my family, thus I am dedicating my first ever Art exhibition to this cause:
My Grandfather was an innocent man who was put in jail for being involved in politics. Augusto Pinochet was responsible for the lives of thousands of people.
Many mothers lost there loved ones and the children where never found. There are many good groups like Oxfam, Red Cross etc however Amnesty International means a lot to the people of Chile and my family.
My Charity work
Some of the profits of my work have gone to support children in Africa. I sponsored a child called Joe for eight years who sadly past away on Tuesday 19th 2012;
I still to this day I keep the drawing he sent me which means a lot to me because he drew me as an angel. Sometimes we all forget how lucky we are.
I have donated the earnings of my art and exhibitions to many charities, from Dorset blind who without my donation at a critical time may not be able to do the amazing work that they do to help blind people in Dorset to this day.
As mentioned before I have also done a lot of work with amnesty international with some of my work finding its permanent home in the human rights museum!
For more information:
To find out about commissioning your own original painting – perhaps a portrait or a painting, please contact me by email with details of what you like and which media appeals to you most.
Stay up to date!
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Thank you
Alexander Dakers