A GRAPHIC designer is to stage his first art exhibition at a Ramsbottom gallery after realising that the lines between his job and his hobby were not so black and white.

Keith Dodd (54), of The Park, Chatterton, has had a passion for art since childhood. His enthusiasm led him to study graphic design at Bolton Art College and develop a career in the field, working on projects ranging from the design of cassette covers for computer games in the 1980s to press advertising.

He went on to spend 11 years managing the design studio for a major furniture manufacturer. Now he has gone freelance to allow himself more time to take up art as a hobby once more and the result is his first exhibition, which will be held at the Wensley Gallery in Ramsbottom.

“As soon as I could hold a pencil I was away,” Keith said.

“Through primary school, high school — right up to my five years at Bolton Art College, art was my passion.

“About 18 months ago I took up art as a hobby again and I found that working on my own projects was a great stress relief.”

Keith’s childhood hobby influenced his career path but now his work, particularly his experience in graphic design before the days of computers, has had a major influence on the style of his art — accounting for the presence of so many zebras on his large canvases.

He said: “In the days before PCs and Macs I did all my design by hand and mainly in black and white so my work is heavily influenced by that. It’s just what I’m familiar with.

“When I started painting in acrylics on canvas, my first source of inspiration was the sea but my black and white history took me on a zebra painting frenzy!”

“Recently I have started painting portraits of both the human and animal form using the same graphic expression of colour and shape with the same black and white concept.”

Keith cites his main influences as Aubrey Beardsley, Michael Esher, Andy Warhol and Albrecht Dürer.

His canvases are strong and bold, with a contemporary feel.

They will be on show at the Wensley Gallery, Market Place, Ramsbottom, from July 13 until August 6.