ALEXANDER MILLAR
After a number of different jobs Alexander Millar settled down in 1988 to become a professional artist. Following many years of developing his own style in art he turned to images remembered from his childhood, and used the local Tyneside ‘Gadgies’ as models in his paintings.
Having lived in the northern half of Britain all his life, Alexander tries to capture the subtle light that is particular to that part of the country. The under painting in his work is predominantly blue and then each subsequent layer added is a touch warmer than the last and lifts the painting giving the misty almost ghostlike quality to the background.
In March 2011, Washington Green Fine Art, brought Alexander’s debut museum show entitled, Working Man, to Great Museum North: Hancock in Newcastle. The exhibition was designed to connect the people of Newcastle with the men and women that built the city, not only via industry, but the virtues, morals and spirit of the region. Using the ‘gadgie’ character to portray the working man, Millar finds a philosophy, a warmth and a humour in the every day. The show was a phenomenal success and cemented Alexander Millar’s status as one of the country’s most significant contemporary artists.