Christopher Battye

Christopher Battye studied print-making at Liverpool College of Art before leaving the city at about the same time as the Beatles, and settling in London where he continues to live and work. Arriving in London he was determined to be a painter, but sustained himself with a variety of truck and driving jobs while studying and writing. From 1969-1971 he became a regular contributor of featured articles to ‘Arts & Artists’ magazine, writing on artists as diverse as Magritte, William Blake, Holman-Hunt, Piranesi, Frank Auerbach, David Hockney and Gainsborough. In 1971 he decided to paint again. His first solo exhibition was at the first International Art Fair to be held in London (1984). After that he held regular exhibitions of his work, sometimes in galleries, but often in restaurants and drinking clubs of Soho and Chelsea which he frequented and so vividly drew from for his work. He has had two paintings exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.