Until last year the only time Brett Day had picked up a paintbrush was to decorate his living room.
But after being inspired by a television show he discovered he had a hidden talent for art that he was never aware of.
Now the father of three from Worlingham has turned his love of oil and spray painting into a full time career with his tutorials becoming an internet sensation.
He said: “Last March it was my birthday and my wife was struggling to find something to get me. I had been watching Bob Ross’s The Joy of Painting and seen several videos. I fancied having a go so I asked her to buy my some oil paints.
“A passion came from somewhere. My mother died in 2005 and I was told that she had been a very good sketch artist which I never knew about so I think I must get it from her.
“I was looking at YouTube for more ideas about painting on canvas and I stumbled across a painter spraying live on the streets of New York. I was mesmerised, it was just fantastic and when I get something in my head I try everything I can to do it.”
Brett bought some spray paint gloss and quickly found his niche, filming much of his work and posting it on YouTube in the form of tutorials for budding artists to copy. Some of his tutorials have attracted nearly 50,000 views each and he has an avid fan base on Facebook.
The interest in his work is such that he takes commissions from all over the world including a painting of the New York skyline for a French family.
His preferred genre is landscape and nature scenes using a range of coloured spray gloss and he creates the various textures using household items such as newspaper, plastic plates and magazines. Some of his work also uses airbrushing involving a spray background with a carefully crafted character or object painted on the top.
He said: “My ultimate goal would be to have my own television show where I could teach people how to spray and oil paint. I want to get across that spray painting can be done constructively and not destructively. I’m not a graffiti artist and I would like to change that perception. Now I’ve discovered I can do this, I’m just full of happiness. I can’t believe its taken 42 years to realise.”
To commission a piece visit www.paintwithbrett.com or visit his Facebook page under Brett Day.
Are you a budding artist? Email louisa.lay@archant.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here