'Conservation minded'

Michael Batey

New local artist

25th February - 20th April 2010

Born at Welton, Cumbria and schooled at Caldew, Dalston.

Been a gamekeeper for 31 years in the Scottish and English borders and this is

where I got my inspiration from, everything around my working life I see light and colour in the landscape and the hardness of the life in farming where the weather has law over what we do, this is why I paint powerful sky's showing drama yet beauty in the land.  But have a historical streak in my vein’s I try to capture the old ways and the present ways of life on the land and how much it as changed from times of old yet lucky that I have an employer.  The Duke of Buccleuch who has strong values on conservation which benefits all.  My Medium is oil and paint mostly with palette knife I find you can drag colours together and get great texture something you want to run your hand along feel the land more or less!  All Though I have painted along while and was encouraged at school even Art College was mentioned!  I have been helped on my way and inspired by JULIE DUMBARTON and ALEC DRYSDALE two Local artists!

Michael’s brush with destiny spurned new career in art

WELTON-born gamekeeper Michael Batey, 46, branched out into painting after a tree fell on top of him and broke his right leg.

“I was off work for four months so I had to do something to pass the time,” he explained

Four years later his first major exhibition of paintings has opened at High Head Sculpture Valley near Ivegill.

“It’s an amazing feeling seeing my work hanging on the walls of the gallery,” said Michael, who is married with two grown-up children.

He recalled his 2006 brush with destiny on an estate near his current home at Claygate, Canonbie.

“I was using a chainsaw to cut down a tree when it fell and trapped my right leg, snapping my tibia and fibula,” he explained.

“I was in the middle of nowhere so I used the chainsaw to cut the tree off me and crawled to my car.”

Despite excruciating pain, Michael managed to drive home and call an ambulance.

His leg was pinned from his ankle to his knee so he took up his boyhood hobby of painting to pass the time.

“I was holed up for months so I started painting animals, horses and dogs and gradually progressed onto landscapes,” he said.

After 31 years in gamekeeping he still loves the lifestyle of the job and his art is inspired by the countryside that surrounds him every day.

“I love dramatic skies as the weather has law over everything that we do, especially in farming as working outdoors is a hard way of life,” said Michael.

“I also have a historical streak in my veins and I try to capture the old and new ways on the land to show how much things have changed.”

Painting mainly in oils, Michael uses a palette knife to drag his vibrant colours together and recreate the earthy texture of the land he so vividly depicts.

He is influenced by Rockcliffe artist Julie Dumbarton and former Langholm Academy art teacher Alec Drysdale.

“Julie has taught me not be to frightened of intense colours and I paint in a much looser style now,” he said.

“My canvases take about four hours on average and I get completely lost when I am painting.

“When I left school at Dalston 31 years ago at the age of 16 to train as a gamekeeper my teachers did suggest I go to art school.

“But gamekeeping was in my blood and it’s a career that I love. But now it’s great to be able to combine both passions and bring a sense of the outdoors into the art gallery for other people to hopefully enjoy.”

Michael Batey’s current exhibition of work runs until April 20.