We are delighted to work in conjunction with Jonathan Clay incorporating his fantastically realistic and detailed transport artwork into a new range of products. We couldn't think of a better artist to work with and we are sure you'll enjoy using and collecting the items from our Jonathan Clay Range. All items are made to order in our Birmingham factory to ours and Jonathan's exacting standards.
Jonathan was born in Blackburn in 1950 and after years of being out of the area latterly returned to Clitheroe in Lancashire. Jonathan came from an artistic background as his father was an art teacher and a well known local artist. His father and elder brother were also very talented and Jonathan still possess examples of all their works. He doesn't recall ever being given any formal instruction from his father but something rubbed off along the way. Some say it’s genetic, since Jonathan’s youngest daughter is also an art teacher!
Jonathan’s introduction to railways was at a very early age and although his father was no trainspotter he could tell the difference between a V2 and an A3 at a distance. Jonathan’s childhood was spent train and bus spotting and holidays were spent in North Wales where he discovered narrow gauge preservation in its formative years. He had no thoughts of a career in art and was steered towards the sciences at school. Jonathan married young and acquired a family in fairly short order, so had little opportunity to pursue his artistic aims, despite sporadic attempts during the 1970s and 80s, he was always overcome by the need to earn a living.
By 1998, Jonathan’s children had fled the nest and he was totally dissatisfied with working for someone else. This him to think seriously about making a career in art. With developments in computers and reprographics it meant that it was now affordable. Jonathan is now a renowned and highly respected artist and who over the past 12 years has painted nearly 1000 pictures – not all of them railway subjects. Most importantly, however, he has travelled extensively and discovered that the railway movement contains some of the nicest people in the world, many of whom he now counts as friends.
We hope you enjoy looking at the range and invite you purchase a little piece of Jonathan art.