Featured work by Derrick Fielding

Born in Liverpool in 1965, I remember spending much of my childhood with my head buried in a comic usually The Beano. I would often relish being sent to bed early as a punishment for some misdemeanour so I could read the latest escapade of The Bash Street Kids. From an early age I loved to draw and as I grew older, I began to use this passion to unleash my elaborate imagination to create games for me and my neighbourhood friends. Fortunately, my father was a painter and decorator so my earliest canvases were the backs of rolls of wallpaper that were supposedly for his customers.

Living on the edge of the city, I was fascinated by the surrounding countryside and would slowly venture further and further out on my pushbike. I ended up spending most of my teenage years travelling around the country on marathon cycling holidays with friends whenever the chance arose. It always occurred to me that there was so much to see on my bike that you would never notice when travelling by car.

Art was my favourite subject at school and when I left I served an apprenticeship as a sign-writer at nearby Aintree racecourse. I am sure that this period in my life much influenced my animation and graphic style of painting.

Inspired by Liverpool's marvellous range of architecture, in my spare time I would paint nostalgic landscapes of the city in watercolours for family and friends. Encouraged by this, in 1999 I left the sign-making profession and became self-employed, combining my increasing painting commissions with an innovative bespoke gift idea. This would provide customers with a framed presentation that displayed my paintings with the names of the inhabitants of a given Liverpool street. I received a business award for this and also for my design of a football board game.

In 2005 I married Katie who has influenced me considerably with her younger outlook on life. She inspired and encouraged my contemporary style of painting which has since been rewarded with a publishing contract with Washington Green.