Bill Moreton (William John)

CONTACT:
 
WEBSITE: www.artoyd.com
 
ARTOYD Studio
48 Crossfold Crescent
Peterhead
Aberdeenshire
Scotland
AB42 1RH
 
Email: bill@artoyd.freeserve.co.uk
 
Phone: 01779 475317
 
BIOGRAPHY:
 
I was born in Aberdeen in 1945 and joined the Royal Air Force in 1962 finishing in October 2000. During my 38 year career I lived in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Somerset, Cyprus, South America, Morayshire, Germany, Italy, Holland, Northumberland and Shetland . Wherever I was in the world I exhibited and sold my work as well as fulfilling commissions for various businesses and individuals.
 
I started in 1962 doing charcoal and chalk portraits of my fellow recruits for a few shillings. I then moved onto other subjects in Pastel, oils, watercolour, mixed media, and acrylics, in that order. Although self taught I have completed various distance learning courses, through necessity, as I was constantly on the move. I also studied with other artists on painting holidays. I am lucky that others have liked and purchased my work but what really drives me is a deep seated need to produce art that satisfies me: like most artists I usually feel I could do better.  
 
2001:
1. Resettled into civilian life, finally putting some roots down.
2. Built a small but adequate studio and started painting full time.
 
2002:
1. Successfully exhibited and sold work locally, made lots of contacts.
2. Registered as a self employed artist, business name “ART On Your Doorstep “ or “ ARTOYD “
 
Commission 6 x Paintings for the St Andrews Hotel
 
2003:            
1. developed and built my website www.artoyd.com to show my work and sell originals and prints.
 
Commission Royal Bank of Scotland Peterhead
 
Exhibitions:  
1. Wallace Smith Gallery
2. Artwork Gallery
3. Banff Annual exhibition
4. SAA exhibition London
5. Pitsligo fine arts exhibition
 
 
2004:
 
Exhibitions: 1. Wallace Smith Gallery
2. Artwork Gallery
3. Banff Annual exhibition
4. GP gallery
5. Inverurie fine arts
6. Pitsligo fine arts exhibition
7. Frazerburgh annual exhibition
8. St Andrews Hotel
9. Fyvie Castle (National Trust of Scotland)
 
I am pleased with my progress and although I will always exhibit locally I feel it is time to broaden my audience and personal experience. The next stage is to contact societies and galleries in other areas so that others can view my art.
           
ARTIST STATEMENT:
 
All my work prior to using acrylics was firmly based in realism with lots of detail. Acrylics have stimulated and freed my art; they are less subtle, fast drying, hard edged and consist of very bright colours. Once inspired by a subject I still must have a rough plan of action but from here on everything is different. I have to be brave and trust my instincts when painting, working loosely and at a brisk pace. There is no time to fiddle or to mix exact colours but this is not important. In the right circumstances anything can be any colour, if the tonal values and the relationship of the colours I use give me the feeling I am looking for, I am happy, and hopefully it is also pleasing to you the observer. If I think it does not work I just do it again and again with each time getting easier and better. I have still so much to learn about acrylics and will continue to use them in the immediate future. They have opened up so many new doors for the future as I can take this new immediate way of working and try it with the other mediums I have used in the past.