John Booth

Born 1942 in Glasgow, as a young man he moved to Stockport where he spent the next 35years applying bitumen as a roofer. Although loving his work he was drawn towards art and thus enrolled at the Stockport College of Art.

He received a Distinction in his Art Foundation Diploma and in 1998 was awarded the Gallery Prize by Stockport Municipal Art Gallery for production of the most original painting.

Working with molten bitumen at perilously high temperatures he rapidly applies the volatile medium to the canvas. When it has hardened he applies colour around and on top of the black bitumen, using secretive methods to produce his unique style of artwork.

Inspired by natural forms of colour and texture, he does not attempt to directly copy the subject matter, but produces pieces which must be seen to be believed, as photographic images on a computer screen do not do justice to these works of art.