Artist Dan Wheatley will be producing a large-scale painting over four days of the festival whereby he will invite people to join in and have a go at working on the painting. This is a fun facilitated project! No experience or booking needed – come and get involved!

This event will be on Thursday in Market Square 10-4pm, Friday in Rotherfold Square 10-4pm, Saturday in St Mary’s Churchyard 10-4pm  and Sunday at the Parade Finale (Borough Park) 5-9pm.

About the Artist: 

In 2000, he came to public attention with his trompe l’oeil mural paintings in Totnes and Kingsbridge area. He also was known for his involvement as a student of one of the south west’s most renowned artist and painters Robert Lenkiewicz. Dan was mentored by the painter in the last few years of his life.

He studied Lucian Freud’s techniques at Tate Britain’s basement studios during his retrospective in 2004 and was a finalist for ‘Not the Turner Prize’ during the same year. He went on to gain a first in Fine Art BA (hons) at Plymouth University, won the Ben Heartley Fine Art award for outstanding work and then went on to get a PGCE at master’s level 7, leading into a career lecturing in Art alongside his personal work. He has been a course leader in Art and design and is currently taking a new position lecturing for Arts University Plymouth.

Much work is often reflecting and inspired by direct demonstration within some of his lecturing work. It reflects a deep fascination within the art of Caravaggio, Turner, along with painting and portraiture of the past, along with contemporary experimentations.

He describes himself as “a Fine Artist who specialises in painting and observational drawing, having roots in Classicism, and exploring contemporary takes and methods working with old master paintings.” See www.danwheatley.co.uk for more