Steffan Macmillan’s oil paintings are a colourful celebration of his chequered life and career, from verdant Welsh valleys to vibrant streets filled with larger-than life characters and the travels of a yellow campervan across his beloved Wales - a metaphor for Steffan’s own life in which he has explored the world, and continues to this day – visible in the ‘Vanagon’ series of works.

An exhibiting artist for 22 years, this has given Steffan time to hone his craft, using an oil painting technique that multilayers wet oils and mixes his colours live on the canvas, layer, on layer on layer, building depth and texture to his works. This adds a certain level of luminosity and injects life into his varied subject matter.

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Starting off in fine photography and later oils, Steffan has swapped his previous career as an art director and illustrator in advertising, music, broadcast and branding for a slower pace of life in rural Shrewsbury.

Reflected in his more recent works of countryside scenes against moody skies, and oversized farm animals that emerge from the canvas, welcoming the outside into your own domestic setting. These larger pieces can take between 24 to 48 hours of painting to complete, as Steffan layers on paint, each addition weaving in another chapter to his works.

However, it’s not just his immediate surroundings that inspire Steffan, he also chooses to tackle delinquency, childhood obesity, homelessness, adventure, opportunity, and even rebirth in sweeping landscapes.

The depth and mundane ‘snapshots’ of chaos as captured by Jeff Wall, and intrinsic renaissance doomsday works of Peter Breugel are just some of the artists that have influenced Steffan over the years. Indeed, just as these artists aimed to capture the current affairs or common beliefs of their time, so too does Steffan, with youth crime and even aspirations to break free from the norm amongst the issues that influence his practice.

It’s Steffan’s tenacity and gung-ho approach to bring current affairs into his work that have seen him embrace the recent COVID-19 outbreak, by turning the fence outside his house into an open air-gallery during recent weeks – coverage of which was even picked up by the BBC. "I am really pleased," he comments, "overwhelmed with joy. It has gone above and beyond what I thought it would. It has given me more exposure than if it had gone ahead in London!" High praise indeed, especially as Steffan was set to exhibit in the big smoke in April this year.

Steffan’s works are a true reflection of his character, at times whimsical while each work contains a hidden message or nod to his equally colourful life. Let yourself be taken through rolling Welsh hills, along sun-dappled French country lanes or dive into the hustle and bustle of small town life – no stranger to the trials and tribulations of life in Britain today.