By Steve Cooke
Borrowing the Tate's definition Outsider art is used to describe art that has a naïve quality, often produced by people who have not trained as artists or worked within the conventional structures of art production.
I was delighted to learn that outsider artist, Spencer Turner had recently won a National competition run by Creative Support to be in their 2021 calendar with his picture Portrait of the Artist as a Troubadour.
Creative Support is a not-for-profit organisation promoting the independence, inclusion, and wellbeing of people with care and support needs.
Spencer’s artwork was selected by a panel of judges to feature on the 2021 Creative Support Calendar.
I recently caught up with Spencer [remotely of course] to find out more.
He reveals that he is a 46-year-old resident in Wardle who has some mental health issues related to his autism. For the past fifteen years Spencer has been involved in Cartwheel Arts’ Art for Wellbeing project. He has a lifelong interest in art having studied GCSE Art at High School back in the day.
He currently works on his art three or four times a week and is currently working in pastels.
Spencer lists among his influences such as Egon Schiele, Tracy Emin, Basquiat, Hundertwasser, Grayson Perry and Van Gogh.
His ambition is to hold an exhibition of his work, in the meantime here is a selection of his creations.