Leighton Buzzard artist’s paintings lift moods through tough year

Since May, Stephen MacPhail, 72, has been using WhatsApp to share his paintings with his friends to give them something else to think about rather than the doom and gloom of Covid-19. He has asked recipients to share them with their own contacts to create a chain effect of communication.

“There’s been a lot of news coverage about mental health increasing which troubled me,” said Stephen.

“Today (Tuesday) I released number 215, having the aim of producing 365 imaginative pictures daily for this sadly unforgettable year.

“All my paintings use oil paint on recycled and found materials.

“The response has been excellent. I have loved the feedback which has been the motivator for the project.”

Stephen has had offers to buy his pieces but has told people to wait because he wants to showcase them all in an exhibition to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK, as his wife suffers from the disease.

“It would be a dream to hold a gallery not just to raise money but also to show that there is more to painting than just portraits, landscapes and abstracts.

“I started this craft when I was eight and took it seriously from the age of 11. Painting to me is like breathing.”