Mackenzie Thorpe

Bio

Mackenzie Thorpe's Art is amongst the most sought after in the UK today. His reputation as an artist continues to grow worldwide on an unprecedented scale. He is an ordinary individual, who has, through his art, the extraordinary ability to convey emotions and messages that speak a universal language.

Mackenzie was born the first of seven children in 1956. His upbringing was no different to that of the thousands of other shildren born into a solid North Easters, working class setting. There were financial hardships and tough lessons to be learnt on the streets of post war Middlesbrough. As a child, little set Mackenzie apart from his peers, only his inherent ability and strong drive to draw, using whatever raw materials he could lay his hands on. His childhood experiences and recollections have created in him a mixed bag of emotions. He remembers with affection and fondness the strong feeling of community, the warmth of togetherness that comes from sharing hard times and struggle. He remembers the quick street humour that both then and now is so much part of everyday life in Middlesbrough.

In contrast to this, he remembers the pain of isolation and loneliness, the fear and darkness that at times would swamp his world. This was an environment where the aesthetic attributes of art held little or no sway - there were no role models to be guided or inspired by and no indication that art could be anything other than a hobby.

After completing his degree he spent several years working with inner-city children in London before returning tp the north with his wife and young children. In 1989 the family moved to Richmond, North Yorkshire and Mackenzie set up a shop selling art materials.

Unprepared for the reality of running a small retail outlet, Mackenzie started using the art materials he was selling and for the first time the general public had the opportunity to view his work. Reactions were not initially complementary, but he continued working and gradually people started to really look at the uniqueness of his art.

Both visitors and local people recognized the stark beauty of his landscapes and started to smile at the humour, identifying with the images of family, appreciating the naivety of the big heads, the total originality of the square sheep, the forgotten splendour of industry and the people who worked in it.

From then until today, Mackenzie has become one Britain's most collectable and best-loved artists. Recent accolades have included a 'Best published Artist Award' from the Fine Art Trade Guild; an Honorary Master of Arts Degree from the University of Teeside and being chosen to produce five official Christmas cards for conservative politician William Hague.

It is truly a rare talent for a man from unlikely working class beginnings to have used the equally unlikely medium of art to successfully communicate across the barriers of age, class, gender and race - yet that is what Mackenzie Thorpe does.

His work expresses the entire range of human emotions, feelings from love, life and laughter, to struggle and adversity, challenge and innocence. Through his unique works, this artist has risen from the people, to draw for the people. An artist whose own life tells us that old frail dreams can become goals that are worth nurturing and working towards, that love and honesty can and will triumph over adversity. Here is an artist who draws and paints about the life that we all live.