I was fortunate to watch Paul Oz creating one of his dramatic, textural oil paintings a few years ago at the Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival.
The picture was of a lobster created in 2cm thick oil paints on a large board. Watching Paul paint was mesmerising, and the finished effect was stunning. Since then, I have followed him on Facebook (as you do) and have been intrigued to see how he can portray his favourite sporting stars from the World of F1, famous celebrities from film and music, and even Her Majesty the Queen. So, to celebrate OX Magazine’s ‘Art’ edition, I thought it was time to talk with Paul to see how he creates his stunning artwork and find out more about this extraordinarily talented artist.
Paul’s first love has always been F1 motor racing. “Perhaps it is a marriage of my background in competitive sport and studying Aerospace Engineering at university. I credit the basis of my creativity to decades messing with Lego. I spent my formative years dreaming of being a pro-cyclist, and I sure am proud to be British. My ‘80’s Kid’ solo shows explore this concept even deeper, as I have created 28 artworks over the last five years covering most everything I grew up with, played with, broke, idolised or was scared by. I was a great fan of Star Wars and now I have the fortune to run around Star Wars film sets, F1 garages and the Team Sky bus, being able to call it ‘work’. Being a fan and creating artwork of everything I love in the world has bizarrely come full circle.”
Looking at the range of his subjects, which include Her Majesty The Queen, I asked Paul whether he works from commission or inspiration. “Both! I love our great country, collect British military and sporting iconography, and had intended to paint a portrait of Her Majesty for a long time, but did not manage to squeeze it into the schedule. Then, last year I received a commission – I can’t say who but it’s going to be hanged somewhere incredible. I’m so pleased how the painting came out; it’s actually based principally on an image of her waxwork, and a photo I took myself when I noticed how awesome the lighting on it was.”
His experience in engineering has allowed Paul to divert his creative talents into sculpting, where he is constantly pushing the boundaries. “I am lucky to be working with who I consider to be the most prestigious bronze foundries in the world, based in Stroud. This has opened up possibilities far greater than I could have possibly imagined. There really is no such thing as a crazy idea anymore, which is the most inspiring and empowering thing if you truly embrace it. My challenge with sculpture is to make my vision a reality, no matter what the technical restraints. Now I have taken my work into another art form, I am able to focus on immortalising the heroes of the sport I grew up with, in the most permanent of mediums: bronze. Most of my bronze projects are developed over a 10-12 month period – in secret, with a significant impact unveiling. With my ethos of modelling on real life for the ultimate in detail, over the past couple of years I moved away from sculpting my F1 heroes and chose to recreate an actual rearing horse. Believing that there is no such thing as a crazy idea, bringing an actual horse into the studio was the obvious thing to do! Together with the help of Stampede Stunt Animals, who spent a month training the amazing Lumi to rear on the spot in tight confinement. After several months work, I was able to create my rearing horse bronze sculpture entitled Alberto.”
So, what has Paul’s most challenging piece of artwork to date?
Paul’s commissions include work for the Instituto Ayrton Senna, McLaren, Bruno Mars, Lewis Hamilton, Chelsea FC, The Rugby Players Association, Team Sky, Jenson Button, Sir Alex Ferguson and the James Hunt family to name but a few. Patron to ‘It’s In The Bag’ (Testicular Cancer Awareness charity), Paul is also a regular fundraiser for Cancer Research UK, the NSPCC, Rugby Players’ Association, CLIC Sargent and GOSH.
Paul Oz’s three studios are now based in Gloucestershire and his work is exhibited around the world,