Portrait of artist as a man of principle

A painter who has dedicated many years to portraying his native North Cornwall is holding his first exhibition for two years. Simon Parker goes to meet him

WHEN Spike Milligan saw Philip Jackson's self-portrait he told the Cornish artist that if he could paint like that drunk he'd like to see what he was capable of when sober.

Sadly the ex-Goon never managed to visit Philip's gallery at Stratton, near Bude, to see one of the carefully crafted land and seascapes for which he is renowned in both the UK and US – but anyone in North Cornwall over the next few weeks should make a point of taking a look.

Stratton born and bred, Philip Jackson has painted professionally since 1980, with exhibitions of his work being held everywhere from the Royal Academy to the Washington County Museum of Fine Art.

Such is his reputation that in a single year his work was exhibited at the Royal Academy, Royal Society of British Artists, Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Royal Society of Oil Painters, Royal Society of Marine Artists, Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Royal West of England Academy, Pastel Society of Wildlife Artists, United Artists, Society of Equestrian Artists, and the British Painting Exhibition.

It was at the RA back in the mid-1980s that he bumped into Spike Milligan, who was immediately taken by a self-portrait of the dejected-looking artist peering through a small window.

"It's subtitled Locked Out After A Few Beers, and Spike said he liked it a lot," says Philip.

The tiny oil, which has hung on the wall of his Stratside Gallery since it was painted, is this week being offered for sale for the first time, along with a number of other works that have become well loved in recent years through a series of limited edition prints created from them.

Philip, who bought the former primary school in Stratton in the 1990s, has spent years refurbishing and restoring the Victorian building – which is appropriate because it was while attending the school as a child that the fledgling artist held his first public show, an occasion he recalls with some nostalgia.

"I was about nine years old and I set up my paper and watercolours out in the street and painted Stratton Church," he says.

"A few of the other children would come by and have a look to see how I was getting on and count how many of the individual stones I'd painted.

"Even back then it was really important to me to get it exactly right. So few people today really study their art."

Philip can't claim a fancy education for his ability to capture a tree in new leaf reflected in a dew pond beside the River Strat, the precise colour and movement of a wave at Widemouth, or campion petals floating on water.

However, he did attend a London art college... but only for half a day, quickly realising that the methods being taught and encouraged were at odds with his aims and artistic principles.

"I knew straight away it wasn't for me, it was all wrong," he says.

"Instead I earned my living sign-writing for several years. And I still like to think of myself as a workman."

Even without training, Philip had a good eye for a painting of quality. When only 15, he borrowed £2 from his father to buy a canvas from a junk shop. He correctly recognised it as a Dutch Old Master and promptly sold it through Sotheby's for £4,000.

Away from the art world, he is an obsessive collector of anything pertaining to Bude's lesser-known neighbour. Over the years, Philip has amassed a considerable collection of artefacts, including rare documents relating to Sir Bevil Grenville. Many of the items in his collection can be seen alongside the current exhibition.

The show features work completed over the past two years, when the gallery was closed. From early etchings and prints to small paintings and major oils, Philip says he made the decision to sell previously unavailable works in order to continue his work on the old school. Among the titles are Atlantic Sunset: Maer Head, Watching A Storm: Widemouth Bay and The Mighty Atlantic: Northcott Mouth.

Philip Jackson: Original Paintings And Prints continues at Stratside Gallery in Stratton until mid-December and is open every day from 10.30am to 4.30pm. For more details call 01288-356341, e-mail philip.jackson@stratside.com or visit www.stratside.com.