Steve Carroll studied at Berkshire College of Art & Design from 1978-1982. On graduating he worked as a graphic designer, but he never let go of painting – his first love. He is a multi-award-winning artist and was the Overall Winner at the Worthing Open 2021.
He currently works in education, teaching both practical art and art history. He is also an Accredited Lecturer with The Art Society.
Steve has visited Kolkata in India four times since 2013. He went purely for the experience at first, but quickly fell in love with the city and its people. He has been involved with projects for the Emmanuel School Calcutta, including teaching, painting murals, screen printing and drawing portraits for the children.
After his first trip, he created graphic prints which he sold to raise funds for the projects he encountered. These prints became more experimental with each visit, incorporating mono-printing and different textures.
More recently he has been creating oil paintings and dry point prints based on memories and experiences of Kolkata. He always carries a sketchbook with him, and often finds himself with a queue of people wanting to have portraits drawn.
What Steve loves about Kolkata, and India in general, is the complete otherness. Everything is different to the way things are done in England. There is the very visual and colourful culture, the smells, the constant traffic, and the feeling that the whole city has been collaged together, creating strange juxtapositions.
More of Steve’s work can be found online at stevecarrollarttutor.uk
Open Tuesday 21 January – Sunday 02 February // 10.00 – 17.00 ( Closed Sunday 26)