Level Best Art Cafe: James McColl Smith

I am now over 70 and paint in my studio at every opportunity. I have displayed my work in the Caxton Library, fine art section and have done so for some time, most of my work goes to London now when the mood strikes me. I left school unable to read and write and as of today have never read a book, as my attention span is very short at times and I am dyslexic.

I paint what my mind sees and what I feel. I spent many years in East London where I became chair to the tenants and residents association and tried to help others in solving their day to day problems, as best I could. I formed three youth clubs, a mums and toddler group, before this became the norm. I also helped raise money for the Queen Elizabeth Children’s Hospital in Bethnal green, Still Painting and selling at the Local Public House, The Royal Standard in Victoria Park road E.9 for fifteen years.

One year I was asked by the art students who loved my work to go to Chelsea school of art to see their work, it was great, not unlike the young students in Colchester whose work impressed me with their bold vibrant colours being full of life. I now have arthritis in both shoulders so how much longer I can paint is with the gods. I sent some of my work to the art curator of the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London. I was given the Fenner Brockway rooms to exhibit some 30 original pictures. This was to be for three weeks but such was its popularity it went on for three months, even though it was never advertised. I was very surprised and grateful to those who came to see it. I like people who feel and express that feeling and then find time to help others.

My first exhibition in the seventies was to have been at the White chapel Gallery in East London this was cancelled over lack of funds shall we say, so I had it in the White chapel library next door. This I enjoyed, seeing peoples reaction to my work gives me a buzz. I always say I am self taught, but I saw lots of work and copied it from the greats.

I love the impressionists, the Pre-Raphaelites, artists like Picasso, David Hockney and Wassily Kandinsky. I love copying their works and I learned so much even though I could not read much at the time about them.

I once painted the glamorgan cricket team against Sri-lanka for Mr Graham Jenkins, brother to Mr. Richard Burton (the actor) no less, ha ha. He works for the BBC. I did not like the painting I did for him but he did and paid for it, no accounting for taste?