From running trails to art tales: how Jon Tatham sprinted into the world of art
Sandbach father-of-two, Jon Tatham, had always loved running but little did he know that this would open up a whole new world for him.
The keen runner and talented artist, who has run with both the Macclesfield Harriers and the Sandbach Striders, has always used running as a way to exercise and switch off from his busy life.
However It wasn't until he took on a fell running challenge while working in the Macclesfield area that his finely tuned creative side developed into an exhibition.
"I was asked to take part in an art exhibition and it sort of went from there," said Jon of Elgan Crescent, Sandbach. "I set up JT 42 - named after the 42 peaks."
Jon, who was a creative designer with a large marketing company, has had his work exhibited in various pubs including the Park Tavern in Macclesfield and the Vale Inn at Bollington.
In 2022, he had the chance to take redundancy and set up JT42. Jon works in mixed media making digitally crafted prints.
He keeps a folder full of bits of magazines and other items he can use in his work. An exhibition of his work 'Spodespiration' is currently at the Spode Museum until Sunday (June 29th).
Jon has mixed his love of art with the history of Stoke-on-Trent in the exhibition which features 30 pieces of his artwork including the famous blue and white colours of the iconic Spode brand.
Jon is also a musician and in his earlier days, visited Stoke-on-Trent many times with the band he played with.
The exhibition features abstract portraits of some of the Spode employees alongside other subjects.
"We moved to Sandbach in 2005 from Bristol so I am near to Stoke-on-Trent.The exhibition features work based on the people and designs of the city," said Jon previously.
"The photographic archive of the workers of Spode seemed a natural and integral starting point, hence the creation of the 'People of Spode' portrait series.
"I've taken some quite traditional views and given them a new spin."
He's currently working on another piece of art featuring the six towns - Tunstall, Hanley, Longton, Burslem, Fenton and Stoke. 1910 references the year that the six towns of Tunstall, Burslem, Longton, Stoke, Hanley and Fenton became the federation of Stoke-on-Trent city.
And true to form, it has a connection with running! Jon has used race numbers from previous runs in this piece of art.
"I keep a folder with things like this in which I can use," he said. "My work is not unlike a map grid which is used for fell running. It's kind of linked to running if you anyalse it."
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