He only began painting two years ago as a way of coping with his brother’s death, and is self-taught, but Eccles based Joe Coffey is attracting attention. His colourful depictions of everyday Salford life, with a particular focus on the much maligned ‘hoodies’, have brought comparisons to the great L S Lowry himself, but Joe is very much his own man:
“I’d never done any art before. I just did bits of drawings and stuff of Salford life. Everyone compares it to Lowry, I don’t know why. I try to paint life in general on the streets. I don’t know why I started doing hoodies. I’ve had a lot of positive comments about my painting. Salford is at the heart of my work - the community spirit - people always helping each other out. I suppose my paintings have turned to documenting life in Salford.”
Based in Winton, Eccles, 37 year-old Joe has recently completed a painting of Lowry opening the gate of his Station Road house in Swinton; the place he lived in for over 40 years (see photo). Joe has a passion about preserving the great man’s home, where he painted many of his masterpieces:
“It would be a shame not to keep it as part of Salford’s heritage. Doing something with it in honour of one of our
Salford legends and turning it into somewhere for artists would be good - or even a visitors centre.” Following his first two exhibitions at Eccles Precinct, Joe is now preparing for a new one at Langworthy Cornerstone from 13th September.
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