I'm J R Oatts, aka Jo, a British abstract artist. My vibrant, textured and expressive work centres around the theme of ‘colour in motion’.

I'm based in Bollington, near Macclesfield, Cheshire, but I grew up in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and then spent many years living and working in and around London.

Over the years I've worked as a journalist, filmmaker, radio presenter and advertising creative director, but art has always been my first love.

I've exhibited in London and across the UK, and I have collectors internationally. You'll also find me at Manchester Art Fair in November.

As well as my own work, I've created commissions for sculpture trails, murals, theatre groups and taken part in live painting events.

Artists I have always looked to for inspiration include Kandinsky, Georgia O'Keeffe, Turner and Cezanne, and more recently Mad C, Faye Bridgwater and Chloe Lamb.

Colour was always around growing up. My grandmother Daisy was a skilled dressmaker and flower arranger, and her home was always overflowing with fascinating colours and textures. This also inspired a love of Hollywood glamour, fashion illustration, including the work of Bob Mackie and Antonio Lopez.

These early influences, along with my experiences in cabaret, club and LGBTQ+ culture in my teens and 20s, have given me an appreciation for all that is flamboyant, expressive and colourful.