Artist Max Panks’s distinctive paintings of the Stroud area have gained him a strong following on social media.
“I didn’t train as an artist, I actually I trained as an actor in London and have been doing that for 10 years. It wasn’t until January 2017 I started painting everyday as a way to release some energy I’d been holding on to and I haven’t stopped since!”
Max spent his first 15 years surrounded by the farmlands of Leonard Stanley: “I moved up to the top of Rodborough Hill, where I was greeted with the far-reaching views of the whole of Stroud. I’m very inspired by the breadth of distance that can been seen from any hilltop in the area, not to mention when the fields turn bright gold in the summer months.”
What is Max’s favourite painting? “One of my favourites is one I call The Golden Fields of Stroud. It was painted at the top of Whiteshill in the long summer of 2020.
“I’m inspired by many artists, both living and dead, but a few notable watercolour artists include the likes of Alvaro Castagnet, Tim Wilmot, Joseph Zbukvic and Herman Pekel.”
To see more of Max’s striking images visit www.maxpanks.com, or follow him on Instagram, www.instagram.com/maxpanksart
