Doncaster painter is feeling hopeful about the future of the arts scene in the town

Terry Chipp is a well known artist in Doncaster - he has been painting since the age of 17 and has had an exhibition every year since then.

Now 72, Terry works in his own studio located in the town centre.

Terry, from Sprotbrough, said: “I’m a full time artist now but I was once a teacher.

“I had the opportunity to escape and I grabbed it.

“I always say that I lived life backwards because I went back to school to study art later in life.”

Terry was inspired to become an artist by a school teacher in his youth who he would watch paint during lunch and break.

His career really took off in 2008 when he set up his own website which led to his work catching the attention of American artists.

He was invited to an art colony in North Carolina where he met many international artists.

From then on Terry has been working with an array of artists across the globe and continued to bring home inspiration to Doncaster.

Terry is most famous for his series of box paintings.

“I was working with Cast before it opened,” he said.

“I was drawing actors in rehearsals and it hit me that these people had three different characters within themselves.

“One part themselves, one part as an actor and one part the character they’re playing.

“I was interested in the thought that people are pigeon holed and I wanted to take that idea one step further.

“So I literally put people into boxes and painted them.

“As a metaphor to show that we only see what people want us to see.”

Terry also paints landscapes.He is currently working on a series based in High Melton and Barnburgh.

“I’m sketching the same route an ancestor of mine would have once walked as a poacher,” he said.

“The scenes are set at twilight because that’s when he would have worked.”

The art scene in Doncaster is growing and Terry is noticing a positive change.

“There are a tremendous number of art clubs and people who paint for pleasure here in Doncaster,” he continued.

“But for a long time there wasn’t anywhere for professionals to display their work in the town.

“Meaning artists took their work to Sheffield, Manchester and London because Docaster had nothing.

“But the new D31 Gallery changes that.

“It gives us a platform and will give new artists a place to develop their skills.

“I hope it’s existence will broaden the field and put Doncaster on the map.”

Terry is currently looking for subjects for portrait paintings.

With the subjects in posh frocks and sharp suits.

You can contact him here or his studio gallery is open to visit by appointment.

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