London Weekly Diary of Social Events

A Gifted Poet On Canvas

Anthony Christian-Howard ("Christian") is a remarkable young man. At twenty-four he has mounted an exhibition of his work at the Upper Grosvenor Galleries of a quality which many lesser artists might have taken a lifetime to achieve.. While having his feet firmly on the ground, and being blessed with an innate sincerity, he has produced a collection of paintings and drawings which deserve high acclaim. His sense of colour and perspective and his eminently faithful reproduction of that which so obviously pleases him is as refreshing as it is unusual in these days of so much spurious manifestation.

Also unusual is his dedication of each picture to some special person, some alive, some dead, some celebrated, some unsung. There is a reminder of Sir Algernon Newton in some of the oil paintings in their almost photographic faithfulness - a phenomenon less puzzling when one knows of Christian's exceptional accomplishment as a photographer. The difference lies in his sensitivity - in his ability to introduce not only the vital third dimension within the scope of his technique, but also to bring human feeling into an otherwise static situation. He has the eye of a sparrow-hawk and the touch of gossamer. The combined result is staggeringly arresting. Many will find his drawings even more appealing, for it is here that his great gift of draughtsmanship really comes into its own and delights us all.

At twenty-four years old to have had your second one-man show of paintings in a Mayfair gallery, to dedicate your self portrait to Rembrandt and to have the first part of your autobiography already with the publishers, might sound like something of an exaggeration.

But Anthony Christian-Howard has been painting seriously since he was 14, works on average a 12-hour day (2 to 3 hours writing, the rest painting) and his autobiography already runs to between three and four million words.

"It's one of the longest books ever written - although that's no virtue," he says. "If I say I'm 24. I've had the most extraordinary life and I'm not conceited, people just don't believe it."
"But I'm a very honest person. If I'm good at something I say I'm good at it. And I've had a life that justifies writing this book."

He's been a chorister, a butcher's boy and a removal man among other things, but since he was 19 has financed himself entirely by painting.

One of his favorite paintings, of an olive-grove, is dedicated to the Lebanese philosopher-poet Khalil Gibran.
"It's a garden of peace," says Christian-Howard. "Peace is everything - and I don't mean that in a John Lennon-type way."

Later that year, Anthony Christian travelled through America exhibiting his work at the Albert White Gallery, Toronto, and the Palm Beach Gallery, Florida.