“[Leon has] captured grandpa so perfectly”
Lucy Jeffery (Colin’s granddaughter)
“[It is]…nice to see him live on through other people’s work. He was a sensational man, and I’m glad people are still able to see that”.
Alice Jeffery (Colin’s granddaughter)
Whilst the artist was living in Bugthorpe, a fellow creative shared a link to a local hero, Colin Newlove, and his escapades in training a bull called William. Inspired by the eccentric nature of the spectacle of William jumping through a flaming hoop Leon set to work to portray the event in oils. Drawing on Stubb’s famous Whistlejacket painting for a colour palette, the painting focuses purely on the action, stripping away any background distractions.
The painting was first featured in the Spark Studios Art Exhibition in May 2023, where it drew the attention of the family of Colin who were thrilled to have his memory immortalised.
Follow the links below to find out more
York Press: York Artist Depicts Farmer Riding Bull Through Ring of Fire
British Pathe: Tame Bull (1962)
(right) the inspirational photograph via Getty Images