Local Scenes & Distant Dreams

by Andy Gallacher

Inspiration is a word often asked of me, where does it come from, where do I get my ideas - What makes me paint?

I could delve into an endless list of inspirational tips borrowed from fellow artists but none of them could tell the real story. Inspiration for me is an emotion, an urge to reproduce an image I’ve seen or a photograph sent to me that opens my eyes and makes me think WOW!

My work is a reflection of me, what I see, what I feel - ultimately I try to recreate the wow factor. My journey began as a teenager with commissioned pencil portraits of a partner, a child or a pet. It was a safe medium, a way to copy a photograph. The pressure was immense, for me I was simply reproducing an expression or look in someone’s eyes, copying their hair and pencilling a smile. I was simply copying what I saw onto paper. However to the buyer it was completely different, I saw a photograph but they saw a partner the day they first met - a wife on their wedding day, or a child on the day they were born.

Trying to re-create love through a drawing was incredibly difficult and sadly sometimes impossible. For years, I felt under pressure even constrained. I wasn’t drawing with freedom of expression - I needed to be released, I needed to be set free.

I had no idea of what was coming. 

Many years later I met my wife. She had a small photograph of a famous painting, a watercolour of an angel protecting a fallen woman in a red dress from a rainstorm. The framed photograph sat on the desk in her office. She often spoke of it but I had no idea what it meant to her, as a surprise I decided to paint it.

When finished I said to her “I have a surprise for you” and slowly revealed the painting. Her reaction was incredible, a shriek, a cuddle, even tears of joy and eventually an explanation of what the picture meant to her. “The woman in the red dress is me” she said, “I have been waiting for an angel to rescue me and to protect me, you are my guardian angel. I have you and now I have the painting.” 

I had unintentionally created something special, not through a portrait, but through a painting. I had created what was missing all my life, I had painted love - I had painted the WOW factor.

Having painted the ‘Holy Grail’ I thought I’d never be able to find it again, but the world is an amazing place and nature is awash with incredible images.

Time and time again I have felt the WOW factor, the subsequent paintings have grown in number creating a trip hazard in my studio or a potential scratching post for my cat. “Don’t you dare ‘skip’ I’m watching you!” 

I needed an outlet, I wanted others to experience what I feel, I wanted to show my art to the world.

It seemed an impossible dream, for years I visited countless galleries, took my work to door after door but they seemed like a closed shop with no opportunity for an unknown artist. Eventually a professional artist suggested I visit Ferini Art Gallery as the curator was always open to promoting local artists. With nothing to lose, I visited, as I opened the door a warm smile, “welcome to Ferini Art Gallery, I’m Michaela how can I help?” I took a deep breath and asked if she would be interested in displaying some of my work. I bought a couple of paintings in from the car and asked her opinion. “They are excellent” she said “but my buyers prefer something local, a memory to take home with them. If you have something local then I would definitely take it - something like the ‘walking men’ on Lowestoft beach”

And then my life changed! I left the gallery, drove straight to the beach and a multitude

of photographs followed. The ‘walking men’ by Laurence Edwards filled my camera roll. Subsequently, I produce two paintings, once framed I returned to Ferini Art Gallery. 

Indeed, Michaela fulfilled her promise by taking the paintings. That weekend, one of them was successfully sold. This success paved the way for a series of remarkable events. Numerous paintings depicting the ‘walking men’ were all sold, and Michaela curated three exhibitions at Snape Maltings, all at a modest cost of a few coffees and a bun or two from Costa.

Furthermore, I actively participated in country fairs and an art exhibition at Heveningham Hall, which resulted in numerous sales across the United Kingdom and even to the United States.

I am honoured to be in the position I am now, I cannot put into words my gratitude to Michaela at Ferini and Laurence Edwards for the walking men.

Without both of you none of this would be possible. I live my life by one small belief - be quietly confident in your own ability, believe in yourself and anything is possible.

Thank you to the two people that made my dreams come true.