Long Time Gone by Jack Vettriano
The famous Scottish Painter, Jack Vettriano, who became known as the “the people’s painter”, has a pretty interesting life story. Personally, I find his story to be quite inspirational: He started out on a path that contradicted with who he truly was, and ultimately found the path he was destined to be on.
He was born on November 19th, 1951 in the seaside town of Methil, Fife. His given name at birth was Jack Hoggan, and he didn’t change his name until he was a grown man, to “Vettriano”; it’s his mother’s maiden name with an “a” added to it.
His father worked as a miner, and although Jack enjoyed sketching, when he was 15 years old, he finished school and began his apprenticeship to also become a Miner. This didn’t last. He moved around a bit after that living in London and Edinburgh, and after a few years things took a new turn for him when a girlfriend bought him a set of paints as a gift. He already knew how to draw so he borrowed books from the library to teach himself how to paint.
Although he learned how to copy the originals of other painters such as Monet, Salvador Dali, and Picasso, he quickly realized that he needed to develop his own style. He then developed the style he is known for today, “romantic noir genre-painting”, usually set in the 1930s at dance halls, restaurants and hotels, or the beach. He’s also known for his suggestive, almost erotic art. He used his life long obsession with women, particularly women who dressed provocatively along with his passion for nostalgia as the basis for defining his own authentic style.
His first big break came in 1988 when he submitted two pieces to the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Show. Both pieces sold very quickly. Since then, the sky is the limit! His original art commands a six figure price and he earns even more from reproductions.
In 2004 his most famous piece, “The Singing Butler“, became Scotland’s most expensive piece ever sold at auction. It sold for 744,800 pounds! He also received the OBE award that same year.
Today Vettriano continues to paint and spends time in both Edinburgh and France.
Here’s more information on Jack Vettriano’s Limited Edition Prints.
by Barb
Tags: jack vettriano, jack vettriano art, jack vettriano biography, jack vettriano limited editions, jack vettriano prints, the singing bulter
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