Chris is so happy he quit post for portraits
Former mail worker is a rising star in the art world
A Renfrewshire painter’s meteoric rise to success has reached an impressive milestone.
Chris Oates’ portraits and still life pieces have become so popular that he now has more than 10,000 loyal online fans.
The talented Elderslie artist was ecstatic to receive the good news from social media platform Facebook.
“I got a notification from Facebook saying that my business page has reached over 10,000 followers,” Chris wrote on his official Facebook page. “I am amazed and truly grateful for this. “Thanks very much troops for all your support and for keeping me busy.
“I’m doing not too badly for a self-taught art geek. Cheers guys.”
Modest in his achievements, Chris only started taking art seriously four years ago.
Swapping shifts as a postman for painting, Chris is now a household name in Renfrewshire and beyond.
Showcasing his finished pieces on social media garners hundreds of likes, comments and shares.
Creating canvases of famous faces such as Paolo Nutini, Billy Connolly and Noel Gallagher, word of the father-of-one’s intricate designs is spreading fast and keeping him on his toes.
It was during his eight years working for Royal Mail that Chris’s artistic flair was first discovered.
Sketches of colleagues at work didn’t go unnoticed by his manager at the time, who encouraged him to pursue art.
“At that point, I didn’t even know what a canvas was,” Chris told the Express.
“Now I’m making a living from art and have been self-employed for the past four years, painting for 10 years in total.”
Trying his hand at illustration, Chris is also providing the images for upcoming children’s series Morion the Highland Princess, a job secured by his regular uploads to Facebook.
Looking to the rest of 2018, he is branching out into the world of art conventions across the UK, and transferring his work onto merchandise such as clothing is on the cards. “It’s all very exciting,” Chris added. “I’m so grateful for the support.” For more information on Chris’ artwork, follow his official Facebook page at www. facebook.com/chrisoatesartwork/.