Artist captures changing face of Manchester skyline in stunning pictures
An artist has turned his fascination with the changing shape of Manchester’s skyline into an exhibition of stunning paintings.
Steve Bewsher, who is based in Macclesfield, has spent the last 20 years painting Manchester city centre.
His paintings have captured how the city has grown and evolved and are currently on show at the Gateway Gallery in Hale.
Steve Bewsher – Construction in the City
Born in Altrincham in 1964 and educated in Manchester and Wolverhampton, Steve moved to Macclesfield in 1996 – the year the IRA bomb devastated the city centre.
Steve said: “At the time, Manchester was not a 24-hour city and nobody lived there. It’s a completely different animal to the one it is now.”
Steve says he has painted every single day since he was 19.
He said: “I treat it like a full time job really, sometimes I have ideas on the go and sometimes I don’t but it’s always better to get something done even if it doesn’t work out how you want it to.”
His paintings are striking and energetic cityscapes and light-filled landscapes, depicting not only Manchester scenes but well-known Macclesfield landmarks such as Hovis Mill and Chestergate.
Steve Bewsher – Construction at Tib Street
Steve’s latest exhibition at Gateway Gallery is a celebration – or commiseration – of construction in Manchester.
He said: “It’s about the visual assault of the modern city, so it could probably apply to anywhere really.
“We’re looking at things quicker than ever before, we’re also not stopping to see things and that’s reflected in my work I think.”
Steve says his art has changed a lot in the last five or six years.
“I kept talking about changing my style for years but never did. Then I met Gateway Gallery founder Martin Regan. He was a great influence on a lot of us. He was the first gallery owner who could talk art and who I could trust.”
Steve adds: “Most gallery owners say, that’s great, that’s nice’ but he was critical. When I started doing demolition paintings most people hated them but he loved them.”
“Since Martin died last year, gallery co-owner Susan Eyres has been really supportive. She tells me to paint what I want to paint, and that confidence in my work is very affirming.”
The 40 or so paintings Steve has in this exhibition are to do with the duality of demolition and construction in the city.
“Manchester looks like it’s developing but also deteriorating in other ways,” he says, “Salford Quays used to be a derelict wasteland in the eighties,” he said, “I preferred it then. For an artist it was a really interesting environment.”
The paintings start off with traditional street scenes and, says Steve.
“The first four or five have recognisable figures and city skylines but then I take a few risks along the way and I hope the visitors will go on a journey.” Steve says he likes taking risks.
“It’s got to be exciting for me and it’s got to be exciting for the gallery, and, of course, the public.”
He adds: “I might do a traditional street scene but I might also do a burst shopping bag in Ardwick. You have to capture the grittier side of life sometimes.”
Susan said: “It’s interesting to see an artist experiment and evolve. Steve is one of the best-selling artists in the gallery and I think that’s down to the sense of excitement that comes from his pictures. You can sense that this is an artist painting for the love of it.”
