TWO LOCAL artists are putting on a real display by showing off their work in Mossley bar The Gillery.
Simon Mound and Paul Gill, who are based in the town and Dukinfield respectively, have their work forming the latest exhibition at the venue.
Simon already had a place on the wall by contributing portraits of actor Steve McQueen, DJ John Peel and actor Rik Mayall, whose great great great-grandfather erected the building on Old Brow.
However, his Synaesthesia display shows a different side to his talent.
Simon, whose portraits and expressionist work, prints and greetings cards can be bought from The Gillery, told The Correspondent: “This is something I’ve been doing for about 15 years and it’s where I always envisaged my art going.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever put any of these works in a space and the reactions have been different – it definitely splits people.
“The collection is something I’ve known about through studying material science. Paintings are all linked to music albums. Each piece is named from a lyric.
“Synaethesia is a medical condition in which a cognitive input creates an involuntary cognitive output.
“John Squire of The Stone Roses was a massive influence through his style of painting as for my generation he brought what had gone on 20 or 30 years before – with the likes of Jackson Pollock – back to the forefront.
“Hopefully the idea is someone at some point will be listening to music on the radio or an album, they’ll hear the lyric and everything comes full circle.
“There’s only me who knows which ones are which and what inspired them. Some tracks are more obscure than others. There are 12 pieces and they come from all different corners of music.
“We all know how music makes us feel. Sometimes it cheers us up, sometimes it makes us feel sad but if you’re expressing yourself doing something, what does that then create? That’s where we’re at on this.”
On another wall in The Gillery is Paul’s Hand Drawn by Paul Gill exhibition, which unsurprisingly, features hand drawn works of art.
And the Dukinfield-based talent is reaping the rewards of taking up art as a hobby, it also helps distract him from his job as an intensive care nurse.
Some of what he has seen, though, can inspire some of his work.
Paul said: “I’d dare say there are some effects from my job – I’ve been in intensive care for about 15 years.
“I never know what I’m going to draw when I start. It’s literally pens on paper and it just comes out. It’s a great way of coming down from work and chilling out.
“I never studied art at school or college but I had a period of unemployment and was literally sat around doodling.
“I looked at it and it was pretty good. My family said, ‘That’s pretty good, where’s that come from?’ I replied, ‘It just popped in my head.’
“Over the years, I’ve perfected it a bit but it’s always something I’ve done as a part-time thing.
“Because it’s a hobby I just enjoy it, I always have. When I get a chance to exhibit my work, it’s a bonus.
“I’ve given a few to schools in Tameside recently for them to raffle off for Christmas. There were that many in my house, I had to get them out!
“I knew the Gillery existed but I messaged on Instagram saying, ‘Would you let me put some stuff in?’
“That was about a month ago and here we are. I’ve had some really nice comments about my work, which is really lovely and I’ve had a lot of comments and complementary feedback online.”
*SIMON and Paul’s work is on display at The Gillery, on Old Brow in Mossley, which is open from Wednesday and Thursday from 2pm until 11pm, Friday and Saturday until midnight and on Sunday from noon until 11pm. Simon will also be there on Sunday, December 18 from noon until 4pm with a pop-up stall featuring all aspects of his work.