B.H.

My Name is Benjamin Hesketh Heywood, I am mostly an illustrative artist who specialises in a range of different mediums such as painting, graphic design and Animation. I also have other interests that I passionately want to pursue such as acting in both film and theatre.

 

I like to think that I am an experimental visual artist as I don't really have one specific style as I still feel like I'm discovering myself as an artist, there's always something new to discover about myself. If I come up with an idea or if I have something to say visually I will just go for it and not think about the response or the visual style or medium I use.

​

I have a 2.1 degree in (BA) Hons Animation from Manchester School of Art.

​

I have previously had my work specifically chosen to be exhibited at Chelsea College of Arts in 2015. Plus official selection at New York animation film awards for my short film Bushman. And hopefully more festivals to come

​

My introduction to Art and being a creative was through my early educational years at primary and high school as I was always told by my school teachers that I was good at drawing and that I should take up art as a career option. I don't know if they were just saying that as I was bad at everything else or whether they thought I was genuinely good at drawing, but at the end of the day I feel that I have always been a creative more than an academic throughout my life. I have always enjoyed movies such as Sam Ramies Spiderman trilogy and cosplaying as a child, as well as creating my own movies in my mind in my spare time. Throughout my teen years I came across a documentary film called "Exit through the gift shop" by the street artist Banksy which ignited my interest even more for the art world. This introduced me to other artists such as Shepard Fairey, swoon, fail and Banksy who I would say are some of my biggest inspirations for me as a visual artist. I have also taken inspiration from other artists such as Jamie Hewlett and Jean Michel Basquiat. Put it this way, I see these people as the closest thing to real life superheroes. The masked vigilante outlaws with a secret identity which originally inspired me for a career in street art. 

 

My Long-term goal is to become a film director but before I do that, I would like to have at least a decade or two worth of experience of being an actor. I also want to carry on doing gallery shows exhibiting both still and moving imagery. Ultimately, if my work could inspire others I would be happy.  

​

​