Contemporary Fine Art @ The Piper Art Bar

Born 1950

Tobias grew up in the Lake District where both his parents were painters. His mother Audrey Johnson, painted flowers and his father Claude Harrison, painted first, portraits and then in the 1970 concentrated on his imaginative work, which he still paints. At school he learned Pottery, which led him to a 30-year career. Starting with foundation at Lancaster 1966-68. Central College London BA 1968-71. Then he worked as a thrower at Chelsea Pottery 1971-74. Set up his first studio in Grasmere in 1974, then moved to Cartmel Fell in 1979, specialising in lusterware, producing small bowls to electric fires and fountains. In 2001 he felt that he had done all he wanted in pottery and his work was becoming repetitive. Wanting a new challenge, he made an exploratory try at painting, having not painted or drawn for 30 years and never in oils. It was a struggle but he loved the medium of oil paint. He found the challenge he was looking for. Easter 2002, he sold the last of the pots and dismantleted the workshop to start painting. He makes no conscious attempt to paint in a particular style, letting the subject dictate how to paint. He tries to mimic the colours and textures of what he sees, not to just copy as a photograph but explain in paint the subject. His work has started with still life and now he intends to paint living life. But each still life he does challenges him to do another, which will be the one that perfectly captures the essence of subject. He could be still on this quest in another 30 years.