With an exhibition currently showing at The Dorothy Pax, Exposed caught up with Daniel Halksworth, discussing early influences, the evolution of his style and what inspired a focus on food-based subjects (particularly the humble fried egg!)
How did your artistic journey begin?
Like many artists, I’ve drawn all my life, though if I can pinpoint something that sparked my interest it was my dad, who was trained as a draughtsman and once drew a sketch of Gimli, the dwarf from Lord of The Rings, for me when I was a kid. I was fascinated by the level of detail in the drawing, especially the chainmail which I used to spend ages looking at. I started doing GCSE Art but dropped out because it was taking up my lunchtimes, so taught myself to paint in oils in my spare time. I was also really into video games and following the progression of 8-bit graphics to the HD graphics of today, I’ve always been impressed with the representation of reality. When I was young, I used to make up my own video games and draw characters. 8-year-old me actually devised a whole game based on Atkinson’s called ‘Department Store Dan’, so that’s definitely had an influence on my paintings.
“I’ve always been impressed with the representation of reality.”
Has your style shifted over the years? If so, how?
I’ve always painted in a realist style but elements of pop art have crept in, with the use of a punchier palette. I’ve experimented with various different subjects over the years, some darker than others. My partner Caz and my art-ing sidekick have to live with my paintings drying on the walls, so we now tend to paint stuff that we would want and are happy to sit with. I had a 1.5m egg on a black background in a tiny flat for several months while it was drying and it was really oppressive in our space, so for the next few after we made a point of keeping light and fun, introducing bubblegum pink into the mix! I’ve become more specialised in food-based art in recent years, due to demand and also because I think we’ve all been a bit obsessed with eating and food shopping, first during the pandemic and now with the cost of living crisis. We tend to come up with ideas in the pub, spend a day composing and staging stuff, and then I’ll paint. As soon as we sell a painting, we plough it straight back into the pub or café and materials and start the process again.
Pop art often draws inspiration from popular culture and consumerism. Do any aspects of modern culture interest you and do they influence your artwork?
My presence online is mainly on Instagram, and with that comes real-time feedback on my work; I get to see what strikes a chord with people. It does influence the direction that the subject matter takes, whether that’s more of the same things or variations on a theme. Something that made me smile was when I opened the eggs up for bespoke commissions, people started requesting personal tweaks: more or less crispy bits, double-yolkers, split eggs, peppered eggs and all variations in between. There’s something nice about the interactivity with a live audience as I’m painting, sharing that process with people and having a chat along the way. We can show people snippets of our life that influence the art. If we’ve had a good month, I can be more adventurous in what I paint, like a decent fry-up, or some fancy sushi. If we’ve had a lean month, I’m more likely to be painting baked beans or a Greggs! There’s an incredible freedom that comes with painting under your own steam, but it can also be a struggle if things like the Instagram algorithm aren’t working in your favour. While there’s a lot of joy in food, it’s also a point of stress for many, especially with the cost of living, and I think that’s a theme I’m going to explore more.
“I think we’ve all been a bit obsessed with eating and food shopping, first during the pandemic and now with the cost of living crisis.”
As mentioned, food and everyday objects are particularly prevalent in your work. What is it that influences you to paint these – especially fried eggs?
Wherever we went as a family, I was always given pencils and paper to entertain myself, and I always drew whatever was in my line of sight – things like my grandad’s cigarette card collection, various booze bottles, beer mats and comics, which I always tried to capture as realistically as possible. I’d watch my dad try and be as accurate as possible with his technical drawings, so that’s probably why I went down the realist route. If someone bought me a die-cast car that looked too much like a toy and wasn’t to scale, I wasn’t interested in playing with it.
The eggs came about by accident. I had loads of studies of various things that I’d painted over the years, which we had to flog cheaply at the start of the lockdown to help pay the rent. Caz lost her job around this time and I was already in the transitional stage of becoming a full-time painter, but opportunities to exhibit completely stopped. I listed several paintings for sale at slashed prices on Instagram and that’s when things really took off. Several people wanted my painting of a fried egg, so I offered to paint some more. I did a half-dozen, which sold immediately, followed by another batch, and things just snowballed – I’m still painting them today and should probably open a greasy spoon!
“Wherever we went as a family, I was always given pencils and paper to entertain myself, and I always drew whatever was in my line of sight.”
Many artists experience periods of creative block. How do you overcome these challenges and find inspiration when faced with such moments?
In my case, creative block kicks in with repetition or lack of adventure. For me, it’s about standing back and looking at everyday things around me that I might otherwise ignore and finding inspiration in ordinary items that are often overlooked. Although sometimes the only thing to be done is to pack everything away, go for a good long walk with the dog and come back to it when my head’s in a better place!
You’re currently exhibiting at the Dorothy Pax. How did that come about and what can people expect to see?
We first started going to the Pax a few years ago when we lived nearby and used to walk the dog down the canal via the quays. As places started opening up after lockdown it was one of the first places we wanted to get back to. One night we went for a pizza next door at True Loves and the Pax crew were in the middle of setting up their (then) Tramlines Fringe event Canal Lines. We got perched on a bench next to Richard, one of the owners of the Pax, who invited us to a weekend’s worth of secret after-parties. We went along and fell in love with the place. We’ve kept popping in for a drink ever since. They posted a callout for artists to exhibit and it just felt right to hang some art there! People can expect to see a variety of subjects. I’m mainly known for painting eggs, but I wanted to share some more of the stuff I do, with some examples of early influences and a couple of portraits thrown in. The exhibition is called ‘In an Eggshell’ to give a taster of what I do, and there are of course a few eggs, but also more of other things I’m interested in, further examples of the types of subjects I’m commissioned to paint. Expect booze, food, toys and a few personal items.
“It’s about standing back and looking at everyday things around me that I might otherwise ignore and finding inspiration.”
Do you have an artwork that is particularly special to you?
The painting that is most special to me is a portrait I did of my dad writing at his desk. He was a history teacher at my school in Chesterfield and wrote a book about Sutton Scarsdale Hall, which is a place he’s been fascinated with since he was a kid playing around the ruins. The portrait is how I’ve always known my dad, sat at his desk late at night either marking homework, writing his diary or penning notes for his book. It’s currently on display at The Pax.
What advice would you give to any aspiring artist reading this?
Probably that there are plenty of avenues to get your work out there that don’t include the traditional gallery route. Instagram has been a hugely helpful tool for me in terms of connecting with people. I’m finally finding my feet in the real world and I’m so glad to have the opportunity to hang my art on a physical wall, in a place that means a lot to me, chat with people in person and feel a part of the Pax, which is a living, breathing entity. Look out for local opportunities, get involved with the people and places you feel comfortable with, and don’t feel pressured to live up to the expectations of places that you don’t feel comfortable with.
Also, it’s a cliché, but do what you enjoy. You’ll not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re happy in what you’re doing and put yourself out there, the right people will find and support you.
The exhibition at The Dorothy Pax runs until 4th September alongside The Pax’s usual lineup of gigs, comedy, quizzes, poker nights and other shindigs! Free signed egg beer mats available while they last!
More of Daniel’s work can be found on Instagram @daniel.halksworth and www.danielhalksworth.com
