PROFILE

Andy Powell

A Life as a Canvas of Color, Ambition and Adventure…

The 1981 Oscar-Winning Film "Chariots of Fire" dramatised the amazing personal journey of Harold Abrahams, a man who overcame personal and professional obstacles to pursue his destiny and passions. Despite the specter of anti-semitism along with class and society issues affecting his relationships with friends and loved ones, he blazed a spectacular trail representing Britain in the 1906 Olympics, and then built a publishing empire that would include legendary New York newspaper The Herald Tribune.

A legacy of courage and creativity continues through his grandson, Andy Powell, who is now living his lifelong dream as a full-time artist. His ambitious combinations of colour and shape earn his canvases comparisons to the likes of Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky. Over the past two decades, his work has appeared in galleries, competitions and government buildings throughout Great Britain as well as special exhibitions in France and Israel. In 1997, he experienced a career high when he was invited to display his work at the Royal Academy of Arts.

For Powell, 40, the current success has its genesis in his grandfather’s influence and a lifelong interest in art. The sense of adventure evident in Powell’s work derives from a childhood that plays as dramatically as many films about British youth, including "If…," "Goodbye Mr. Chips," "To Sir With Love," and others that made an impression on both sides of the Atlantic. Although he battled a life-threatening heart condition and lost contact with his legendary grandfather by the age of 8, his positive attitude, entrepreneurial spirit and sense of wonder allowed him to enliven the serious, ancient halls of his schools.

"The schools in some cases were very much as depicted in these popular films," Powell recalls. "It was an all boys’ school, and I got on (along) with most people. I was interested in studying art and history, but was better known as a rebel who was a leader among my fellow classmates and even some of my teachers, although the teachers had to keep that tongue-in-cheek. Although I was very young the last time I saw my grandfather, I was very proud of him and what he had done in his life. My mother was always telling stories about him and recalling her own childhood memories of him."

"He used his Olympic fame to start ‘The Daily Herald’ (which lead to his establishment in the U.S. and founding of ‘The New York Herald Tribune.’). By the time ‘Chariots of Fire’ was out, 15 years after I had first seen him, my mother knew nothing about its contents and nobody kept her informed as to how he was doing. You can imagine the effect when my mother saw the opening scene of the film – his funeral service!"

Even though Powell did not have much personal contact with his grandfather, the eagerness to take on new challenges embodied both grandfather and grandson. At 15, he ventured into his first successful career as a disk jockey. After teaching himself about the trade through books, he built several electronic devices (enough for his mother to rent a garage to store his cache) as well as a clientele. In the mid-70s, Powell landed his big break when a talent scout spotted him at work at Room at the Top, a hot London night-spot. This segued into a decade of celebrity status as a radio personality for Radio London and CBS. Never losing sight of his own childhood health struggles, he used his fame to promote high profile charitable causes benefiting children throughout Great Britain.

Despite the recognition, however, Powell decided to head in a risky new direction in the 1980s. Officially, he resigned from his radio post when he took a stand by not playing a punk rock song offensive to the monarchy. Personally, he found himself attracted to the drama of photojournalism and the allure of capturing history. The new career could allow him to be a part of history—as long as he could break through a tough a Catch-22 labor union system that kept the trade "a closed shop." Fortunately, Powell eventually beat this system by publishing magazine articles and, later, taking advantage of an impending strike to claim his break in the field.

Powell spent the better part of the 1980s capturing key international news events, from the weddings of Diana Spencer and Sarah Ferguson to the Falkland War to the Gulf War. He lensed for such top international media organizations as the BBC, CNN, Granada Television, CBS, ITN, The Daily Express and The London Observer. Even though he had the opportunity to meet the world’s most famous people and witness the most important events of the late 20^th century, his true love – painting – loomed heavy in his heart and imagination. Even with the demanding schedule of his other high-profile careers, he made the time to create his canvases and host exhibitions. And then, in the early 1990s, Powell had his date with destiny.

"After almost being killed in a bomb blast in Israel, I decided enough was enough," Powell says. "I was forced to get in touch with the fact that I have always been an artist/painter from the time I was three. When I was eight, I had the audacity to create frieze pictures that covered three walls of my classroom documenting the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and all 703 knights involved. And now, I am resigned to painting and drawing full time."

In addition to his many careers, Powell is a card-carrying member of MENSA and an accomplished poet whose work has appeared in literary journals in the U.S. and Britain. However, he wants his bold canvases to serve as the signature he leaves on the world. His works have sold to savvy buyers in the United States, Germany, Israel and Switzerland. He is still actively pursuing exhibition opportunities, commissions, displays and other venues to display his work. He even has a significant presence on the World Wide Web, his site appearing on over 5,000 art-oriented listings and individual works appearing in several Internet art galleries.

Just like his own life, Powell’s art is a creature of spontaneous actions. "When I start a painting, I never know how it will turn out. I dare to use colours that would normally clash, but somehow work when I find a way to put my ideas together. I want my pictures to come alive and assume several dimensions."

                         In Powell’s case, his art does imitate his life.

AS  STATED   BY  THE   U.S.A. PRESS

ANDY POWELL

17 MOUNTBATTERN COURT

IPSWICH

SUFFOLK. IP1 2NF

ENGLAND

GREAT BRITAIN

U.K.

TEL:  01473 217671           FAX:   01473 217672