AFTER his debut exhibition in Tadcaster last autumn, David J Markham opens his new show at Aberford Interiors this weekend with a preview with live music tonight, at the outset of a fortnight’s showcase run at a gallery where he will become a permanent exhibitor

What made you want to be an artist, David?

“Drawing and painting always came naturally to me as a child. Sure I played sport and studied hard, but it was always the act of putting paint brush to paper that fired my imagination. Music also inspired me. Punk exploded when I was leaving school and I guess that whole do-it-yourself ethic stuck with me throughout life. So the desire to create work, and the discovery that my work appeals to people, drove me to begin selling paintings.”

How was your first exhibition last year?

“It was such a great night. The exhibition was held at Gallery 42 in Tadcaster on Friday, November 13, and I was a little concerned about the date but it worked out fine. It was a cold, wet night but people turned up and there was a real buzz about the gallery.

“Rod Allison has a great gallery in Tadcaster. He’s really developing a scene.”

How would you describe your art?

“It’s kind of quirky, edgy with a little romance. I always try and keep it ‘real’, but not too literal. If people want literal they should buy photographs. I try to paint subjects that are on my doorstep: buildings, flags, telephone boxes etc.

“They’re everyday images, not chocolate-box; they’re not too abstract or objects of fantasy like Mackenzie Thorpe, for example.

“I’m sure there’s room for everyone in the art world but let’s just say that square sheep with smiling faces and shepherds with no faces have nothing to do with my life. Watch out for the ‘bunny’, though. It’s a kind of signature of mine.”

You must be delighted to be exhibiting at Aberford Interiors?

“Absolutely. Aberford Interiors approached me to stage a show in April. They’ve kindly given me a wall as a ‘permanent home’ within the new Interiors Gallery. The inaugural show will be mine, so I guess I’m very lucky.

“Other artists will be shown there: Sir Terry Frost, Janet Rogers, Sue Howells. Yorkshire artist Dennis Woods has been appointed the artist-in-residence and I’ll work there from time to time too.”

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

“The goal is to exhibit through out Yorkshire in 2010 and push beyond in 2011. As a result of the Gallery 42 exhibition, a number of national publishers have expressed interest in selling my work as prints.”

Music has been a creative passion for you for even longer than art, hasn’t it?

“That’s right. I heard London’s Burning by The Clash in 1979 and life was destined never to be the same. I’ve played in many bands over the years, currently with a York band, Modern Day Chicane. We’re an indie band and we only play original songs.

“We supported The Primitives at Fibbers on Wednesday – two days before the official viewing of my exhibition. It’s been a crazy week.”

Are you more content when performing or painting?

“That’s a tough one. Playing in a rock band is fantastic. When everyone is on the beat and the crowd is behind you it really is an amazing feeling.

“Painting is different. It’s a permanent record of how you were thinking and feeling at a point in time. When you get it right if feels very satisfying, although when you get it wrong it can be incredibly frustrating too. How can I make a choice between performing and painting?”

Is being an artist therapeutic?

“It’s a basic instinct in some ways. It’s never hard. It comes naturally. The test for me is whether the beautiful watercolour paper I use is enhanced by the ink and paint I apply. If it is enhanced, then yes, I guess it could be described as therapeutic. It means you’ve got it out of your system.”

What advice would you give to an aspiring artist?

“Just to believe in what you do. Never stop looking. Never stop learning. Appreciate other artists’ work and take out of it what you can.

“I was on holiday in South West France and chanced on the work of Jean Jansem. An Armenian artist, born in 1920, living in France, who creates the most sublime paintings. Mostly figurative and not at all related to my usual subject matter, but it didn’t stop me trying to get into his mind.

“To answer your question, I think it’s about passion for your work in every which way. Applying yourself to execute the painting to the best of your ability and then having the passion to sell it.”

• David J Markham’s exhibition at Aberford Interiors, Aberford, opens this evening with a preview from 7pm. Dave Codling will play songs from 9pm; David hopes to join in.

The gallery is open from 10am to 4.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

For more details of David’s work, visit stoneandsteel.co.uk