Biography
Alan Flood is a British artist who was born in Blackburn. Lancashire. After leaving school at 15 he was accepted as the youngest student ever onto a foundation course at Blackburn School of Art. The ethos at the School was very much a classical one, with an emphasis on drawing & painting from the cast & from life.
In 1969, despite not having the necassary academic qualifications, but due to the exceptional quality of his work he gained entrance to the School of Fine Art at Leeds Polytechnic . After 14 months he left the course & embarked on a period of work in advertising working with the Basque Illustrator & sculptor Gaizka Solabarietta, he then subsequently worked as a freelance illustrator before returning to painting in 1990. Soon after he received numerous commissions & was awarded residences with Leeds Health Trust & Opera North.
His 'Beckett Metamorphosis' series of six drypoint portraits of the novelist, playwright Samuel Beckett were published in 1992 by Sheeran Lock. The art critic Mary Sara wrote: "As an example of the expressive potential of the medium the powerful series of drypoints called A Beckett Metamorphosis can have few equals in recent times" John Sheeran & Imogen Lock also commisioned Flood to produce a double drypoint portrait of their two sons, a young Edward Sheeran (Singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran) & Matthew Sheeran.
In 1998 he was commissioned to do a series of portraits by the Kazakh violinist Marat Bisengaliev. The same year he also was Invited by the Artists Union of Kazakhstan, to visit & exhibit in Almaty with Marat Bisengaliev and the English Chamber Orchestra. In 2002 he was Invited by the Government of Kazakstan to visit Almaty a second time with Marat Bisengaliev and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. An exhibition of his work was held at the Palace of the Republic in Almaty, after which a number of his portraits were also acquired by The Museum of Art, Almaty.
In 2007 Flood was invited by his patron, the composer and entrepreneur, Sir Ernest Hall OBE to become an artist in residence at his foundation in Lanzarote; resulting in numerous visits & commissions over a period of 5 years.
His work has also been exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery, London & and is included in many private & public collections throughout the World, including UK, Ireland, USA, Europe, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan, India, and Israel.
His work is an eclectic mix of subjects ranging from portraits, group figure compositions to still life,
interiors, landscapes and mixed media pieces, working with a diverse range of media: drawing,
printmaking, painting, mixed media, photography, film & sculpture.
Alan Flood aged 16
Drawing by fellow student Frank Perkins
In 1969, despite not having the necassary academic qualifications, but due to the exceptional quality of his work he gained entrance to the School of Fine Art at Leeds Polytechnic . After 14 months he left the course & embarked on a period of work in advertising working with the Basque Illustrator & sculptor Gaizka Solabarietta, he then subsequently worked as a freelance illustrator before returning to painting in 1990. Soon after he received numerous commissions & was awarded residences with Leeds Health Trust & Opera North.
His 'Beckett Metamorphosis' series of six drypoint portraits of the novelist, playwright Samuel Beckett were published in 1992 by Sheeran Lock. The art critic Mary Sara wrote: "As an example of the expressive potential of the medium the powerful series of drypoints called A Beckett Metamorphosis can have few equals in recent times" John Sheeran & Imogen Lock also commisioned Flood to produce a double drypoint portrait of their two sons, a young Edward Sheeran (Singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran) & Matthew Sheeran.
In 1998 he was commissioned to do a series of portraits by the Kazakh violinist Marat Bisengaliev. The same year he also was Invited by the Artists Union of Kazakhstan, to visit & exhibit in Almaty with Marat Bisengaliev and the English Chamber Orchestra. In 2002 he was Invited by the Government of Kazakstan to visit Almaty a second time with Marat Bisengaliev and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. An exhibition of his work was held at the Palace of the Republic in Almaty, after which a number of his portraits were also acquired by The Museum of Art, Almaty.
In 2007 Flood was invited by his patron, the composer and entrepreneur, Sir Ernest Hall OBE to become an artist in residence at his foundation in Lanzarote; resulting in numerous visits & commissions over a period of 5 years.
His work has also been exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery, London & and is included in many private & public collections throughout the World, including UK, Ireland, USA, Europe, Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan, India, and Israel.
His work is an eclectic mix of subjects ranging from portraits, group figure compositions to still life,
interiors, landscapes and mixed media pieces, working with a diverse range of media: drawing,
printmaking, painting, mixed media, photography, film & sculpture.
Alan Flood aged 16
Drawing by fellow student Frank Perkins
Biographical details
1971 'City Close Up' Interview as a 19 year old student:
Jeremy Seabrook ISBN-10: 0713902221
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Painting Prue Leith in Lanzarote
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