Interview: Paul Needles

Paul Needles is a name known to two sets of Bristolians. First, of course, are those who have followed his career as a much-respected landscape painter, with a regular series of exhibitions at the Guild Gallery since 2002 – of which this month’s show will be the sixth.

Paul will also be known and loved, though, by generations of school pupils at Knowle’s former Merrywood Boys’ School and later at The Castle School in Thornbury – where, in both cases, he revolutionised a school’s attitude to, and success in, art teaching.

Born and raised in Bristol himself, Paul went to Knowle Junior School followed by seven years at Cotham Grammar School – where he was taught by artist and teacher Jerry Hicks, who became a mentor and inspiration.

After teacher training and a spell at a school in Kent, Paul returned to Bristol in 1973, as head of art and design at the newly formed Merrywood Boys’ School. During Paul’s 18-year tenure, Merrywood became nationally and internationally recognised for the quality of its artwork. In 1991, Paul moved to the Castle School as head of faculty – again, during his time there, the school was recognised as a centre of excellence for the arts and under his guidance became a specialist visual arts college.

Paul was thrown in at the deep end at Merrywood, a year after the new school had been formed from a grammar and two secondary moderns. “I was only 26 and the head of a department in a school on one of the largest council estates in Bristol! My main focus was in establishing art as a subject that could be taken seriously.”

Building a team of young and enthusiastic teachers around him, Paul concentrated on teaching the essential processes and techniques and on responding to his students’ interests – and, soon enough, the latter became well known for the quality of their work, with many pieces accepted for the annual National Exhibition of Children’s Art. Major awards and cash prizes helped to extend the range of activities offered, while the annual students’ exhibition filled the school hall from ceiling to floor.

Throughout his career Paul continued to paint, and he has carried on with renewed vigour and energy since retiring in 2006. This month’s Guild exhibition reflects his love of landscape. The paintings and drawings on show reflect the city in which he has spent most of his life, as well as Spain where he attempts to capture the bright light, the heat and the colour. The large paintings have mostly been produced during the past 18 months in his south Bristol garden studio from photographs, collages and small watercolours made on location. 

Paul often favours devices that lead the viewer into the painting, pathways, water, gates, stiles and doorways. “I have been intrigued for a long time now by what lies around the corner or what is beyond the closed gate or the door that has been left ajar,” he explains. “I suppose it provides a sense of mystery and opens the imagination. Or perhaps I’m just plain nosy! Anyway, I found that this was gradually finding its way into my compositions, so much so that I now actively seek viewpoints that will lead me and the viewer into the work. I look for posts, fences, hedges, pathways…. anything that will encourage the viewer to share my nosiness!”

And, having inspired and influenced so many during his decades of teaching, whom does Paul cite among his own influences? “Obviously my own teachers, especially Jerry Hicks and the many other people that have encouraged me. I love the work of the Impressionists for their sense of composition and the way that they handle paint. I admire the great Dutch masters, whose skill level is just stunning. For sheer energy and innovation my vote would go to Picasso…. what a mind! But if I could own just one painting, it would have to be the wonderful Vermeer lace maker that hangs in the Louvre.”

Paul Needles: Places I Remember Guild Gallery, Nov 28-Dec 24. For more info, visit www.bristolguildgallery.co.uk