From butcher to bestselling artist

MARK Demsteader has become one of the UK’s bestselling figurative painters after spending years working in his father’s butchery business.

He persevered using his experience in the meat-packing world to study sinew, bone and flesh.

Mark, whose work will be on display at the Henley Festival next month, says: “It was family business so I was dragged into it really.

“I’ve been doing it for so long while figurative art was out of fashion. I also did about 15 years of life drawing classes, so eventually I got the hang of it. It’s not the sort of thing you can do without practice.

“I suppose it’s like playing a musical instrument. You can go and bash about on a piano but to do it properly takes time, doesn’t it?

“When it came back into fashion, I found out I could do it and other people hadn’t been bothering.”

He has painted celebrities including Erin O’Connor and Emma Watson and people who have bought his work include Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage and Eddie Jordan. Mark lives in Saddleworth on the moors north of Manchester but says he may come to the festival “if I can get my suit smart enough”.

He has been to Henley before: “About 20 years ago I used to show with Bridget Fraser at the Barn Galleries. She used to have an exhibition every year, which was nice.”

• Mark Demsteader’s paintings, curated by Panter & Hall, will be on display in the Ruby Gallery at the Henley Festival from Wednesday to Sunday, July 10 to 14. For more information, visit
henleyfestival.co.uk