#sparkchamber 122418 — Paul Barton
There’s something about the end of the year that reminds us, again and again, of the ever-moving, ever-rippling passage of time; the flow of the river. The #sparkchamber is awash in that ephemeral beauty today, as we welcome freelance artist Paul Barton.
Originally from Yorkshire, England, Paul studied art at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, winning prizes for portrait painting and portrait drawing, and graduating early with The Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation prize. He embarked on a career as a concert pianist, and while his brilliant performances quickly helped him on his way to the big stage, the multi-talented Englishman soon realized that this way of life was just not for him. Instead, he chose to travel to Thailand for 3 months, and work as a piano teacher. Fate intervened, as he met his future wife Khwan, also an artist, and decided to make Thailand his home.
In 2006, he and Khwan built their own home [including music and art studios] from the ground up, using recycled wood from old demolished houses. [The result is gorgeous — Paul walks you through the photo album.] From his recording studio in the house, Paul has helped countless pianists all around the world develop their skills, providing, through social media platforms, free tutorials and interpretations of many virtuoso masterpieces. His international fan base waits with bated breath for every new video he releases. [Get hooked!]
Paul has also had wide-reaching influence on lives outside the world of classical piano. In Elephant’s World, a home for rescued elephants in Thailand, he plays piano for blind animals, connecting and interacting with them in very profound and heart-warming ways. Watch him play to a captivated elephant, and read more about it. For a deeper dive into all this and more, visit his website.
1.] Where do ideas come from?
No idea where they come from — they just suggest themselves.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
I don’t ever think about this question. I just get up in the morning and want to play piano or draw or paint.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
I work all the time. Nothing helps me get into it, the urge is always there.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
I’m never done.
