Over the last two weekends Eastbourne was home to Eastbourne Artists’ Christmas Open House event. This is where various artists invite people to visit them in their homes or studios to view and purchase their art. It adds an element of fascinating to be able to see such creatures in their natural habitat!
I was delighted to find that one of my favourite Eastbourne artists had chosen to participate. I caught up with Paul Jennings in his home and we chatted over a glass or two of fine Prosecco.
I last caught up with, Paul a couple of years ago in the summer of 2022 when he hosted a major exhibition at The Newart Gallery in Eastbourne. Since then, Paul has been quite prolific and is building up quite the fan base as he makes regular sales and accepts a steady number of commissions.
Now in his 60s, Paul left his native Nelson, Lancashire, in 1980 to play music with bands in London. Paul’s musical journey progressed from playing guitar in various bands to doing the lighting design on big tours for the likes of Cliff Richard, Shirley Bassey and Morrissey. He also toured with Take That, ZZ Top, The Beach Boys, Spandau Ballet, Chris De Burgh, Chris Isaak and Paul McCartney. Once of his tours for Sir Paul lasted from January 4 through to December 18 of that year and circumnavigated the globe twice.
Visiting Eastbourne one day with his partner, Brenda, they spotted a guest house for sale and bought it, on impulse, as you do. Together, they ran Gyves House for 11 years, while Paul kept up his guitar playing. It was to music that he returned after selling the guest house.
Remaining in Eastbourne, Paul played guitar locally before disaster struck in the form of a stroke. That was three years ago. Paul found his brain and left hand no longer communicated as before and he suffered bouts of anxiety and depression.
However, had it not been for the enforced slowdown to recover, Paul and Brenda might never have been watching ‘Life Drawing Live!’ on BBC TV. He might not have grabbed a biro and paper and given it a go. He might not have felt compelled to get up at 6:30am the following day and begin sketching again… but he did.
Bitten by the art bug, he experimented in charcoal, pastels and acrylics, encouraged by the quick sale of a few abstracts. It wasn’t until March 2021 when Paul got around to oils. Convinced they wouldn’t be for him, but feeling duty-bound to attempt all mediums, he bought a cheap set of oil paints and reached his ‘Eureka!’ moment. He subsequently invested in good paints, brushes and, eventually, palette knives.
Paul admits to having a somewhat obsessive personality. “If I enjoy something, I’m all in.” Since discovering his love of painting, he’s never without a pen, brush or palette knife in hand. According to Brenda, Paul paints “morning, noon and night.” He doesn’t sleep much and is often to be found greeting the sunrise having already spent hours at the easel.
A 1993 study by Ander Ericsson, a University of Colorado Professor (The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance) concluded that it took 10,000 hours of intense practice to achieve mastery in a subject. The theory was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers: 2009).
If this is true, it’s likely that Paul’s compulsion to paint is responsible for his rapid progress. He certainly believes in pushing himself. Paul’s skill shows in the paintings he has on display. While most of the pieces were portraits in oils Paul hasn’t been afraid to tackle landscapes, animals and even abstracts, in a variety of mediums.
While the photos are no substitute for the real things, I hope they give you an idea of Paul’s capabilities.
Follow Paul Jennings Artworks 2 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edwardpauljennings/
Instagram: edwardpauljennings
Contact Paul: edwardpauljennings@gmail.com
