The work deals with emotional memory;
particularly the emotions that can be evoked by memory of relationships. Attwood views these works as ‘ghosts of the memory of feeling’. It is the often vagueness of memory or emotion as to why he eschews a literal or ‘realist’ approach, but leave space for a vague or unresolved interpretation to express such motifs.
Interested in how old ‘family snaps’ act as a visual facilitator to elicit emotional memory, he exploits these traits within painting by the appropriation of such references. The initial works in the series are autobiographical, but now source material is increasingly acquired from a wider community, allowing for a more diverse dialogue.
The paintings are 'searched-out' by the progressive (sometimes destructive) application of numerous interacting layers and marks, constantly moving the active paint layer around. Improvisation is fundamental to the process.
He is increasingly experimenting with the process of Horticulture within the project, using the creation of gardens to evoke the same emotional responses - Gardening as ecological art installation.
Born 1970 in Birmingham, England, his artistic ability was noted from an early age and he was encouraged throughout his education to explore art. After graduating art college in the West Midlands with a Diploma in Art & Design, he found a certain amount of success painting large historical works, mainly in Oils - a number of commissions for heritage buildings in England. During this period opportunities arose in commercial art, specifically Illustration and Design projects for the Advertising and Marketing industry - culminating in him becoming Creative Director of a national Advertising and Marketing Agency. He has undertaken projects across the UK and Europe for corporations such as Coke-Cola, Disney, BBC, Film4, Sky TV, Kodak, Thomas Cook, Barclays Bank and Diageo/Guinness to name a few.
In 2004 he left the UK to sail with his wife, on their 35ft yacht 'Hitrapia', around the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe, refocusing his creative output exclusively to painting.
While travelling, he spent an extended period in Malta, producing a body of work devoted entirely to this group of enchanting and historic Islands. He has participated in various exhibitions in Malta - presenting a solo show in Valletta and, as an invited artist, in several exhibitions for the Prime Minister and President of Malta.
Returning to the UK in 2011. Undertook a 2year Artist-in-Residency for the New Street Station and Grand Central redevelopment in Birmingham 2013-2015. Elected as full member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) in 2015, Vice President in 2017 (VPRBSA) and President from 2019 to 2021 (PRBSA).
His work is represented in private, corporate and public collections across Europe.