Pencil Artist of the Week: Tony Begolo
This week’s featured pencil artist is Tony Begolo, a pencil artist from the UK who creates portraits.
Here’s a little more about the artist:
My name is Tony Begolo, I am 57 years old, and I have been producing art for the last four years. I had an interest in art when I was young, but things happen, and life goes on. I work as a secure receptionist at a mental health institute, but for many years prior to this I worked as a hair stylist. I am married, and I am father to three daughters from previous relationships.
Four years ago, during a conversation with one of my superiors at work, I mentioned that I had taught art to my daughters. Unfortunately, the year before, his mother-in-law had passed away, one of her hobbies was watercolour painting, and so he asked if I would take those materials off his hands because he didn’t know anyone who would be able to make use of them. I explained that it was almost 40 years since I had last made any art, so although it was very kind of him to make an offer like this to me, I had to decline. If I was unable to reproduce the standard I had achieved when I last made art, it would be devastating. But two days later, when I started work I was confronted by a pile of art materials on the office floor, enough to start up all over again.
For the best part of 40 years prior to this day I had grieved over my loss, by not being able to fulfil what as a child I believed was my destiny.
I told him he had no idea what he was doing, that this would change everything. Now four years later, my life could not be more different. I never thought I would find happiness, I believed that was a privilege granted to the few, but not for me. How wrong can a man be? And how much can a life change?
These days I consider myself as a portrait artist, so please enjoy some of my graphite and coloured pencil work.
If you’d like to see more of his work, you can visit his site HERE.
What do you think Pencils Blog readers? Do you know someone who should be featured as our Pencil Artist of the Week? Let us know in the comments, or tag us on Twitter or Instagram @pencilscom!
Wow, what an incredible artist. I am so glad Tony rediscovered his art.
I am a special ed teacher and would like to showcase your artwork for my students on the bulletin board. Where can I purchase copies of your artwork for school use? My students struggle with academics, behavior, and cognitive obstacles but they most often have one thing in common that they excel at; art. I appreciate any and all methods of artistic expression and encourage my students to use art for self expression. Please advise as to where and the cost of your artwork to showcase. Sincere thanks!
Hello Stacey,
Thank you for your interest in my work, I feel very flattered. I have been giving your request some consideration, but because I do not have a publisher, the logistics of providing reproductions, and shipping to the USA will I believe prove costly, and of course for the effort involved I would expect some form of renumeration. However, your request is of special interest to me.
I myself have an Acquired Brain Injury, sustained in a road traffic accident 30+ years ago, because of this I suffer a cognitive deficit, and so, if my work can be of benefit to your students I am happy to provide support. You can visit our website at http://www.begoloartwork.com, there you will see the items published on Pencils.com, and in addition to these, you can also find other works I and my wife have made. All reproductions of my work on the website are digitised, and watermarked, and so if you are happy to display my work with the watermark, please feel free to make a copy of any of of the images I have made, and if for any reason I can be of further assistance you can contact me at tonybegolo@hotmail.com.
Best wishes,
Tony Begolo
Hi Stacey I am the person Tony mentions in his blog. He has produced some artwork for me by way of portraits of my wife, son and myself. I am willing to get prints done of the same and posteoporosis to you for use in your school. You can contact me via email westyj@ntlworld.com I look forward to hearing from you John.
wonderful…beautiful work.