| Howard Patience
Howard was 35 when he was sentenced to four years imprisonment. Originally from Manchester he was working for a company that dealt in corporate events all over the UK. It was his first prison sentence and he worked his way through the system quickly by becoming a model prisoner.
During his last five months inside he started looking for new ways to occupy his time. Having already read for an engineering degree in the 1990s he saw no point in undertaking the usual computer courses or in studying for an English or maths GSCEs so he opted for art instead.
Howard's artwork impressed his art tutors so much that they gave him free range. After he had done a body of work they told him that they thought it was good enough for the Koestlers.
Howard's inspiration comes from artists like Duchamp - whom Howard describes as "rebels but not in the rambunctious sense". He also likes like Caravaggio, sculptors like Bill Woodrow and graphic designers like Tomato, Peter Saville and London Police.
Two of Howard's paintings were selected for Koestler's 2007 exhibition at the ICA; The Lodge is described by Howard as a symbol of the brotherhood in his art class. "We were from different backgrounds ethnically and religiously. It was our version of the freemasons". Supernova Sushi portrays Howard's playful streak. He has always felt that it is possible to tell what country you are in from just a single image "it does not matter where you are from in this world; put an image in front of somebody and they will guess near enough what country you are from; hence the juxtaposition between the Japanese rising sun and the great British ice cream van and its haunting childhood chimes".
Howard is now receiving commissions for his work and is thinking of further study in art and design. He finds the artistic process both cathartic and healing; 'Art is not only a release, it's an inspiration for those who make it and see it.'
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