billy childish

http://www.billychildish.com/bio.html

A cult figure in America, Europe and Japan, Billy Childish is by far the most prolific painter,

poet, and song-writer of his generation. In a twenty year period he has published over 40

collections of his poetry, recorded over 100 full-length independent LP’s and produced over

2000 paintings.

Born in 1959 in Chatham, Kent. Billy Childish left Secondary education at 16 an

undiagnosed dyslexic. Refused an interview at the local art school he entered the Naval

Dockyard at Chatham as an apprentice stonemason. During the following six months (the

artist’s only prolonged period of employment), he produced some six hundred drawings in

‘the tea huts of hell. On the basis of this work he was accepted into St Martin’s School of Art

to study painting. However, his acceptance was short-lived and before completing the

course he was expelled for his outspokenness and unorthodox working methods. With no

qualifications and no job prospects Childish then spent some 12 years ‘painting on the dole’,

developing his own highly personal writing style and producing his art independently.

My name is Billy Childish. I was diagnosed dyslexic when I was 28.

I have published 30 collections of poetry and 2 novels. I have made about 100 independent

LP records and painted over 2000 paintings. When I was 17 I had a bank account under the

name of Kurt Schwitters. I lived on the dole for 15 years.

 

I am self taught.

I do not like fashion culture.

I do not hate anyone.