When the name Timmy Mallett is mentioned it’s the illuminous shirts, wacky glasses, and exuberant personality that spring to mind. But recently Mallett has turned his hand to something new in painting; he’s swapped his trademark mallet for the paintbrushes and is displaying a select collection in Lincoln this week.
Hugely successful in the 80s and 90s namely for his morning show “Wacaday”, Mallett spoke to The Linc and explained it wasn’t the case of leaving one profession for another:
“It’s not a question of do I do that, and give up the other? It doesn’t work like that. I’ve loved art ever since I took it at school and pursued it as part of my degree, I just take it a bit more seriously now I suppose,” he said.
Click the pictures below for larger versions:
He spoke of how he maintained art as a hobby throughout the time his TV career was flourishing: “When we went on filming trips with “Wacaday” I’d take my paints with me. The crew would love that because as soon I got my paints out they’d think ‘great, it’s time for a cuppa tea and a sticky bun’.”
Mallett is passionate about grasping opportunities as they arise and firmly believes that with things like career changes, “you don’t plan these things. I think you seize the moments and see where they lead.”
When looking at Mallett’s exhibition in the Spencer Coleman Fine Art gallery, his inspiration to paint is clear: “Seasons. You don’t have to go away to be inspired, I think you can look outside the window and be inspired everyday and that’s enough for me.”
Mallett’s acrylic and oil paintings all display a zest for life and a love for the seasons. It is somewhat surprising to learn that the guy who sang “Itsy-bitsy” has a huge talent for something that demands such patience and meticulous attention, but it makes it even more impressive.
He explained that keeping your eyes open and enjoying what you see is key to painting well: “We have seasons that change in England and we have a temperate climate. We have the most spectacular springs of any country in the world.
“We have half the world’s variety of bluebell; they are a native to England. We think that the grass is greener in other countries and that everywhere else has better weather and better seasons. But you have to enjoy what you’ve got.”
On display, the scenes range from poppy fields, to girls in the sea, to Tower Bridge, but all have the same vibrancy that is synonymous with Mallett’s name: “I keep my eyes open and enjoy what I see. I’m not a photographic artist, I paint what I feel about stuff,” he said.
Timmy Mallett’s art exhibition is currently on display at the Spencer Coleman Fine Art gallery in Bailgate until Sunday, March 28th.