'Dreams and Realities' is an exhibition of portraits by Sheffield based artist Stephen Martin depicting 9 individuals all connected through a local community choir, and their stories living on the front line of poverty.
After 15 years in childcare, Stephen has worked as a gardener for 22 years. He is also a painter having trained for a diploma in Fine Art and photography in 1985.
After a 35 year hiatus Stephen got back to painting during lockdown, specialising in portraits. Stephen can only garden part time due to long Covid. His income includes Universal Credit and some months his total income is £340.
Unable to afford to rewire his family home Stephen lives without gas or electricity. This is his reality of living with poverty but as with all the individuals featured in the exhibition he has dreams and goals which his economic circumstances have not yet allowed him to realise. Both the dreams and the realities of the subjects are depicted in the portraits.
After 15 years in childcare, Stephen has worked as a gardener for 22 years. He is also a painter having trained for a diploma in Fine Art and photography in 1985.
After a 35 year hiatus Stephen got back to painting during lockdown, specialising in portraits. Stephen can only garden part time due to long Covid. His income includes Universal Credit and some months his total income is £340.
Unable to afford to rewire his family home Stephen lives without gas or electricity. This is his reality of living with poverty but as with all the individuals featured in the exhibition he has dreams and goals which his economic circumstances have not yet allowed him to realise. Both the dreams and the realities of the subjects are depicted in the portraits.
