Paul Roberts (painter)

Paul Nicolas Roberts (born 1948 in Tiverton, Devon) is the former lead singer and songwriter of Sniff 'n' the Tears. He is also known for his work as a photorealistic painter. He recorded a number of albums under his own name, with music similar to that of Sniff 'n' Tears. The key albums were City Without Walls (1985) and Kettle Drum Blues (1987). The album Slowdown (1992) is a mainly a compilation of the other two albums.

Roberts was brought up in Wales by his parents, both themselves artists. Having studied at Newport College of Art, Cardiff College of Art and Goldsmiths College of Art, he gained early recognition as a painter in the 1970s before his career was interrupted by success with the rock band Sniff 'n' the Tears in 1978. Around 1980 he was exhibited by Nicholas Treadwell, who then wrote:

Paul's work explores and parodies the glamorous way of life with seductive and dramatic effect, accentuated by an excellent sense of colour and powerful abstract values. The influence of cinema can clearly be seen in his paintings and his appreciation of Visconti and Hitchcock is often apparent.

In 1988 he moved with his family to Somerset. Until 2000, his music commitments limited the time he had available to develop as a painter.

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