ARTHUR ORUM

Arthur lives and paints in the picturesque Cornish seaside town of St Ives, in the South West tip of the United Kingdom. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he studied Art at the University of Wisconsin before moving to New Orleans. In these colourful surroundings, amongst the Bohemian cafes and the boulevards of America in the '70s he developed his street-painting style. Despite occasionally running and sharing galleries, the sidewalks and pavements remain Arthur's preferred studio.

He settled in England in 1983 when he discovered the artistic melting pot of St Ives. In addition to the town's famous architectural wedding cake -otherwise known as the Tate St Ives -visitors to St Ives are confronted by countless private galleries. These display an almost bewildering mix of contemporary abstract work, commercial 'sea-side art', and landscapes inspired by the eloquent scenery and light of the South West. Arthur's individual, expressionist style and buoyant sense of colour mark his work out. They also reflect the rich influences of his American background and his many travels, particularly to France. In addition to landscapes and seascapes he also takes commissions for portraits.
Arthur has always been a rebel. He is proud of his tradition as a street painter and rebuffs all suggestions for 'marketing'. His compositions are bold and his use of colour striking; his technique is energetic and he works according to his own rules. Above all he "hates bull shit". When asked about his past exhibitions and commissions he admits only that he has a piece of graffiti in the Men's toilets at the Tate. Confronted by this good - humoured reticence, both critics and customers are forced to judge Arthur's paintings on their merits.

In line with his personality, there is no hidden message in Arthur's work, no obscurity; what you see is what you get. But this sincerity is part of their very strength. It is fashionable to be complex, arcane and non-committal but it takes honesty as well as sensitivity to create art that makes you glad you got up today. A gregarious, cafe-go-lucky character, Arthur identifies the form and sweep of music as one of his principal influences. The word he favours to describe his art is 'lyrical' and he mentions that he was once a keen pianist.

Although he is cautious of any move to 'souvenir art', Arthur is considering offering limited edition prints of some of his paintings. This would be a welcome move since, at present, Arthur's paintings once bought disappear entirely from public access. As his web-site shows, the strength of his portfolio over the years is impressive and his distinctive talent deserves far wider recognition. But perhaps that's the price of rebellion.

Mike Rowbotham

Arthur wants his site to show as many of his paintings as possible, he wants everyone to be able to see them not just those who can afford to own his work, although its not possible to capture the true colours, for those who can't visit St Ives I think Arthur's work lets you feel what its like to be in St ives

Arthur Orum his huge online gallery