Howson ‘saw gates of Hell’ on cocaine

ARTIST Peter Howson has told how he once saw “the gates of Hell” during a cocaine overdose.

Howson, 61, said the incident occurred due to his Asperger syndrome, which made him hedonistic.

Speaking in a documentary, Prophesy, to be shown on BBC Scotland on Sunday the Glasgowbased artist said he had felt “infested with evil”.

The 80-minute programme follows the artist as he produces a monumental oil painting, Prophecy, featuring dozens of figures around a crucifixion image.

Speaking in his Glasgow studio, the artist reveals how he had experienced “demonic” nightmares and even heard voices in his head telling him to do things.

Howson, who has been treated for drink and drug addiction and depression in the past, and later converted to Christianity, was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in 2009.

He says: “I had very bad nightmares when I was young, I mean like pretty demonic.

“Asperger syndrome probably makes me quite difficult. I don’t see it myself. I see my Asperger syndrome as my demon so it always has made me want to live too much and be very hedonistic.

“I wanted everything, I wanted the whole thing, to suck the life out of everything I could get.

“I took a cocaine overdose and literally saw the gates of Hell. I felt as if I’d been infested with evil, hearing voices in your head telling you to do things. It’s dangerous because it could be a bad thing or it could be a good thing.

“I don’t get so many these days. If I’m not painting or drawing I can’t really function very well.”