Mod Life Crisis

Well-loved artist Bob Barker is known for his heartwarming depictions of love, family and childhood. His signature ‘Northern Impressionism’ style contrasts light and shadow with an inner glow inspired by the mill towns of his youth.

As Bob's first published full-colour image, this piece draws upon his past as a Mod in the early 1970s (find out more about this here!). 'Mod Life Crisis' is a play on words, as the men on scooters are much older than the teenagers they once were. To create the scene, Bob took reference photography of a local scooter club. On the day, the heavy rain made the floor glisten and the colours from the shops and street lights reflect in the water, which fed into this beautiful sunset tableau.