Headlines
Criminally Talented Tony Black
07 August 2020
Portfolio Fine Art has recently launched its first collection with renowned crime author, award-winning journalist, and Edinburgh-based contemporary artist Tony Black.
Tony’s ambition to paint was put on hold after his novels took the world by storm. Described as Irvine Welsh’s favourite British crime writer, Tony’s work has been shortlisted for The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, and has been nominated six times for the Crime Writers Association Dagger. However, his ventures with writing fiction showed him that there were limitations of the form, which led to his further pursuit of visual art. He now paints every day in his own unique and spontaneous style.
The “power, style and street swagger” Welsh uses to describe Tony’s central protagonist, Gus Dury, can be seen across his art. Using bold colours, thick lines, and abstract reappearing characters, Tony shows he is a storyteller both through visual and written work. His work artistically depicts stories from his time as a journalist, his personal views and experiences living in Scotland, his Australian heritage and his dark yet humorous anecdotes from his day-to-day life. Each painting tells a story, with the use of characters in both his art and his novels. This allows his collection of art to follow its own unique narrative. Tony believes that in an internet age where the written word has been greatly weakened, only radical imagery now has the power to reveal the human spirit.
In contrast to the inflexible approach of planning and writing gritty crime fiction, Tony Black’s art encompasses vibrancy, quirkiness and spontaneity. His audacious and daring style, influenced by Pop Art, German Expressionism and Fauvism, is derived from the art he enjoyed throughout his childhood.
Tony Black and Portfolio Fine Art are very excited to have just launched a collection of three limited edition box canvas prints and a plethora of his vivacious originals. A free print is available with the purchase of a set of prints. You can find all of these and more about Tony at www.portfoliofineart.com or by emailing sales@portfoliofineart.com.
Tony’s ambition to paint was put on hold after his novels took the world by storm. Described as Irvine Welsh’s favourite British crime writer, Tony’s work has been shortlisted for The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize, and has been nominated six times for the Crime Writers Association Dagger. However, his ventures with writing fiction showed him that there were limitations of the form, which led to his further pursuit of visual art. He now paints every day in his own unique and spontaneous style.
The “power, style and street swagger” Welsh uses to describe Tony’s central protagonist, Gus Dury, can be seen across his art. Using bold colours, thick lines, and abstract reappearing characters, Tony shows he is a storyteller both through visual and written work. His work artistically depicts stories from his time as a journalist, his personal views and experiences living in Scotland, his Australian heritage and his dark yet humorous anecdotes from his day-to-day life. Each painting tells a story, with the use of characters in both his art and his novels. This allows his collection of art to follow its own unique narrative. Tony believes that in an internet age where the written word has been greatly weakened, only radical imagery now has the power to reveal the human spirit.
In contrast to the inflexible approach of planning and writing gritty crime fiction, Tony Black’s art encompasses vibrancy, quirkiness and spontaneity. His audacious and daring style, influenced by Pop Art, German Expressionism and Fauvism, is derived from the art he enjoyed throughout his childhood.
Tony Black and Portfolio Fine Art are very excited to have just launched a collection of three limited edition box canvas prints and a plethora of his vivacious originals. A free print is available with the purchase of a set of prints. You can find all of these and more about Tony at www.portfoliofineart.com or by emailing sales@portfoliofineart.com.
