Disney painter acclaims Llanidloes bricklayer and self-taught artist
A bricklayer and self-taught artist who has been acclaimed by a Disney painter and congratulated by bosses at a confectionary giant has hit a brick wall because of a lack of art qualifications.
Callum Stephen, from Llanidloes, read books and watched YouTube to learn to paint his acclaimed surrealism works in just 17 months.
Inspired by US-based Grammy Award-winning and official Disney fine artist Jim Warren, Callum had one of his own Disney paintings on a door shared on Warren's Facebook page to tens of thousands of followers.
Painting Milky Bar and Skittles packets earned him praise from bosses at Nestle who could not believe his paintings were not photographs – sending him a box of full of goodies after the company's directors saw his work.
But when it comes to entering arts awards and competitions to gain recognition of his work, Callum, 22, is finding a lack of art qualifications has barred him from entering his works.
Callum has now been offered a place as an artist in residence at the Chateu Orquevaux in the Champagne region of France early next year which he has accepted.
