Biography
Chris Clover is one of the very few contemporary artists working today to have entered the profession via the time honoured route as an 'apprentice artist'. In the 1960s at the age of 15, he was indentured to an art studio in the centre of Manchester. He later became a Trade Master with that same company before leaving to set up his own studio 10 years later (again in the centre of Manchester). Here he has worked on commissions for such high profile companies as the BBC, Rolls Royce, Granada TV, Wellcome Foundation, ICI etc....Most recently his work has been published by Wizard & Genius of Switzerland.
Chris has always earned his living as an artist and believes that freedom from the influences of a conventional academic training, has benefitted his work. However, although he never went through art college as a student, he was invited to teach as a 'guest lecturer' by Manchester's College of Art & Design. He taught there on a regular basis for a few years until pressure of work made it impossible for him to continue.
Chris's rare one man shows have always been well attended, in fact his popularity was such, that during a 5 week show at Salford City Art Gallery, he broke the attendance record (previously held by the Salford artist, Harold Riley) - a record that I believe still stands to this day. After one of his exhibitions in city centre, a painting was chosen by the Manchester City Art Gallery to join their Rutherston Collection.
The originality of Chris's work speaks for itself. His extraordinary imagination conjures up fascinating images that povide a feast for the eyes, and all those who to take the time to study his work are promised a stimulating and rewarding experience.
This is undoubtedly serious and imaginative art, relating to a kind of imagery that stretches between 'science fiction art' and 'classic surrealism', I've viewed it with great pleasure.
Chris's groundbreaking work, reflects a world of awe inspiring detail. He's simply one of the most extraordinary and exiting artists around.
Cultural historian CP Lee, who played at the Magic Village often with his cult sixties' band Greasy Bair said "All the hip youngsters had followed Roger Eagle at the Twisted Wheel but as the scene started what we called the underground.In 1968 Roger took over the Jigsaw - and, to lovingly quote Frank Zappa, changed it into a psychedelic dungeon.He got in Chris Clover, an amazing artist... you entered on the grount floor, and went down the stairs with all these psychedelic paintings that were mindblowing.It encouraged poetry and dance and all sorts of other things to serve the hippie community, which was perhaps a few hundred people.The stage of the Magic Village would grace stars including Pink Ffloyd, Fleetwood Mac, Fairport Convention, Marc Bolan and David Bowie, who played an acoustic set the night before his show at the Free Trade Hall.