Art selling like hot cakes at St Albans caf�

ARTIST Michael Beddall was amazed to find three of his paintings had literally sold like hot cakes at a popular caf� venue for local artists within days of going on display. Michael, 62, of Cornwall Road, St Albans, originally from Clent in Worcestershire

ARTIST Michael Beddall was amazed to find three of his paintings had literally sold like hot cakes at a popular caf� venue for local artists within days of going on display.

Michael, 62, of Cornwall Road, St Albans, originally from Clent in Worcestershire, has lived in the city with his psychotherapist wife Eira for more than 30 years.

The St Albans district also provides much of the inspiration behind his work currently on show at the Courtyard Caf� in Hatfield Road, St Albans.

Among them are views of the Abbey from the Alban Way, Ragged Hall Lane and a representation of his home village Hagley from Clent Hill.

An untypical pop art piece in gouache of Chorleywood Petrol Station was one of the pieces snapped up.

Speaking of his work, the former head of art at the Hasmonean High School in Hendon said: "I want to convey the direct experience of being immersed in a particular place and time. There is a certain element of sentimentality in these works particularly in the way landscape is used as a tool to express an emotional response.

"My work is based on observing what is in front of me although it may move away greatly from that starting point before it is finished. I suppose my philosophy is that I like one foot in the unknown and one foot in reality."

Husband and wife Mike and Julie O'Shea, who opened their caf� back in March, are keen art fans and Julie is an enthusiastic hobby painter.