Self-taught Stourbridge artist is brushing up on hobby

Familiar Black Country scenes found on his doorstep such as a view of the canal looking towards the Red House Glass Cone in Wordsley also feature in his wide and varied collection of work.

Art has been a hobby for the 65-year-old since he was in his late teens when he received a set of oil paints for Christmas.

Now, after retiring from his job as an administrator at the end of last month, he hopes to be able to spend more time at his easel.

He currently has an exhibition on show at Himley Hall called Some You Just Might Like and plans to hold more in the future.

A lot of his pieces have been creating using photographs for inspiration – either ones he has snapped himself while out and about or others he has found and chosen to re-create. Other sources he regularly uses for ideas include calendars and his own imagination.

"With no formal training I just learned as I went along. I learned the better paints to use and the best surface on which to paint a certain subject and that sometimes it is best to reject a composition when part-completed or, conversely, to continue with a composition even though it does not appear to be working," said Mr Sedgley, who lives in Stourbridge.

Over the years Mr Sedgley, who has previously held exhibitions at West Bromwich Town Hall, has also learned to work around being partly colour blind.

"It meant I was seeing browns as greens and greens and browns until it was pointed out. It has caused some problems along the way but I've just got on with it," he said.

As well as using oil paints, has worked with cotton,board, glass and ceramics. Some of his creations have ended up being sent overseas including a painting on glass of a double-decker bus which was presented to a bus company in Singapore.

While another painting, which was of a scene in Wales and sold through a shop, was posted out to Australia.

The Black Country Living Museum and Mary Stevens Park have also provided inspiration for some of his work.

But his favourite painting in his current exhibition is of waterfalls at Loch Voil, which is near Balquhidder in Stirlingshire.

He discovered them away from the beaten path and couldn't resist taking a photograph to work from later.

"Most people driving past wouldn't know they were there so it was a nice find."

He said the exhibition at Himley Hall was 'proceeding nicely' and he had already secured some sales and commissions.

Now he has retired he plans to devote more time to his hobby with the view to creating and exhibiting more work.

"I intend to concentrate on a greater output and on a wider variety of subjects. I'm looking to try out alternative styles and materials and aiming towards my next exhibition, whenever and wherever that may be," said Mr Sedgley.

Some You Just Might Like will be on show in the Peach Room until September 4.

It's one of three exhibitions on display which include A Brush For Life featuring the work of Wolverhampton-born illustrator and fine artist Rebecca Cresswell, who specialises in healthcare subjects and pet portraits.