Mackenzie Thorpe - Artist

Born in 1956 the eldest of seven siblings Mackenzie's upbringing was no different than the other children of working class families in post war Middlesbrough. Mackenzie stood apart from the other children due to his artistic talents, abilities and driven desire to draw. He would use any type of raw material available to him. By the age of 15 Mackenzie went to work in the shipyards following the path of his peers as was unable to obtain any academic qualifications due to him suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia. His artistic talents at this time were recognised but was not guided into a suitable environment where these skills could be used. Working in the shipyards was a lonely time for Mackenzie as he had no outlet for his talent and a great desire to express himself through art. He was encouraged by his Uncle to enroll at Middlesbrough College of Art and within two years transferred to Byarn Shaw School of Art to complete his degree. Mackenzie opened a small retail unit in Richmond, North Yorkshire selling art materials. He used the materials he sold and began to expose his work to the general public. Today, Mackenzie has become one of the UK's best loved artists and his work is highly collectable. He has received numerous awards including an Honorary Master of Arts Degree from Teeside University and a 'Best Published Artist Award' from the Fine Art Trade Guild.

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