The 1970s paintings from Stoke-On-Trent show my early painting heavily influenced by painter expressionist painter Arnold Van Praag, who taught me on Foundation at St Albans. and Modernist painters Chaim Soutine and Pierre Bonnard. In Stoke I was taught by Arthur Berry and George Mallalieu. Despite their strong influences I began using copious amounts of paint in the manner of Frank Auerbach and Leon Kossoff which didn’t reveal much and I was ready to learn some more.
In 1982 I was supervised at Reading University by painter Adrian Heath who taught me how to construct a painting using an underpainting and how to use a limited colour palette. ‘Thorn in the Crown’ brings together my need at the time to bring my ideas concerning racial violence into representation.
The story in full is available in my PhD thesis ‘The Significance of Diaspora Politics in the Visual Arts’ published by VDM.
Burslem Town Hall, Stoke on Trent, 1976, oil on board
Classroom, 1976 oil on board
Schoolyard, 1976,oil on board
Swimming Pool, 1978, oil on board
View of Longport Junction, 1978 
On the River, 1982, oil on canvas (Private Collection)
Regatta Picnic, 1983, oil on canvas (Private Collection UK)
Soccer riot-panel A, oil, 1984
Soccer riot, panel B, oil 1984
Bombed building, 1984, oil on canvas (Private Collection)
Thorn in the Crown, 1984, oil on canvas
Study for Thorn in the crown, 1983, 60 x 50 cm
Study for Soccer pitch invasion, 1983, oil on paper, 38 x 62 cm
Study for Shooting, 1983, 60 x 50 cm
Family 1950, 1980, 50 x 59 cm
leslie morgan 