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. Brian Watkins

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"Elastic Travelling", 2004 mixed media on canvas 153x153cm

"Theories in Motion", 2004 mixed media on canvas 36x36cm

"Silent Sleeping", 2005 mixed media on canvas .......cm

"Wrecked Tangle", 2004 mixed media on canvas 92x153cm

Brian Watkins was born in 1982 in Cardiff. In 2000/1 he took up a Foundation Course at Glamorgan Centre of Art, Design & Technology Pontypridd in order to study for a BA(FineArts) at University of Gloucestershire from 2001 to 2004.

Artist's Statement: "My paintings are often complex filled with interest and complications, filled with pattern and indescribable imaginary forms. Fears appear in the form of overwhelming repetitions, repeated patterns and reappearing characters. I often works on top of other peoples paintings, in one way to provide a starting point and in another way to cause difficulties. By providing myself with problems I have to define an answer, when there is no question, it's hard to find an answer. In the recent series I have avoided the work of others, instead working then reworking my own paintings; by doing this the paintings have stepped on becoming more intense and complex. Although painting is my primary medium, I have worked creatively in other mediums, often with others, collaboratively, mainly with fellow Cardiff born Welsh artist Tom Goddard. Artistically we have tackled collaborative painting, sound pieces and word pieces. Often we were labelled as a married couple by onlookers, who saw heated discussions and looked upon them as mindless bickering. We played on the homoerotic element in our work, making separate pieces with the intention of them being showed together, a table painted by Tom, to be exhibited with a chair, painted by myself, the table & chair being symbolic of male/female. Although no longer painting together we still explore other avenues of joint practice often showing and curating work together as mentioned as a single entity as opposed to two individual artists. The sound pieces constructed and recorded with Tom Goddard in many ways mimic my paintings, seemingly making sense, but then contradicting themselves. There is an interesting retro feel to the sound pieces, with their sometimes indulgent subject matter, with a gentler Brian Eno meets William Burroughs and Brian Gyson feel about them. I also worked with Tom on the infamous Fanzine. I have worked on word projects individually, with my nonsense poetry, but there are plans to work collaboratively in this area again with Tom Goddard. I continue to explore my painting and other forms of creative development from my studio base in Cardiff."

Awards: 2003 finalist Hans Brinker Trophy Amsterdam; 2004 Green Belt Art prize finalist.

Commissions: 2001 eight square panels for private collector

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