I am a self-taught artist, born out of physical and cognitive abuse from my parents, mainly my Mother, towards me which was nothing short of a nightmare I remember her saliva spraying out from her mouth, full of hatred towards me, between the flaying of her fists, as I felt the harsh blows pound upon me uncontrollably at times.
In my teens, I left while finding myself constantly in conflict, finding ways to understand what happened, I began putting markings, scribbles, anything on paper to give that much-needed distance from that past. Exploring mediums such as pencil, paint and even tin foil. Finding that perfect rhythmic balance, with oil pastels becoming my primary medium, leading to my self-taught body of work, into my first three exhibitions.
“Rhythm of art"
This led me to move to the southern coast of Portsmouth to gain a degree in Fine Art, where I stayed for fifteen years working as an Artist Curator/founder of The Mountbatten Gallery in Portsmouth, and then a qualified Art Teacher. Unexpectedly, in the south, I found myself married and had two boys; however, the marriage was not going to last, and what began then was the worst kind of abuse that was inflicted upon me. In the form of false allegations, all the worse as endorsed by the family law court, as one parent abuses the other, and in my case, I can only talk from my experience of personal abuse that my ex-wife inflicted upon me.
I fought so very hard to gain fair and reasonable access to see my boys, who at the time of the separation were around eight and ten years old, while my ex-wife and her brother committed perjury on the stand with their lies, and still nothing was done.
Perhaps one of the cruellest forms of her abuse started before I even realised, and was not only before our divorce proceedings began, no, strangely, this was before we even got married. My future ex-wife created in me a level of irrational guilt that would fester for years regarding the birth of my youngest child, where I was at home in the middle of the night, looking after our eldest, when my youngest was born. It was a few days after my future ex-wife gave me the devastating news that during childbirth, she and our youngest nearly died. I felt a part of me die just hearing such awful news, as she went on to describe how the umbilical cord got trapped around his neck. I felt awful, wishing I had been there to give support, even though I knew it wouldn’t have changed anything.
She went on to tell me she was advised not to have any more children, insisting that I have a vasectomy. I did that gladly, but it never took my guilt away; that got heavier over the years, feeling like I had let them both down, as I say, irrational guilt.
It was about ten years later, when we were getting divorced, my ex-wife told the doctor not to release any up-to-date information on my youngest, and especially about by then his autistic progress. Which was something else she claimed came about through the bad childbirth.
So, I went to my solicitor to intervene, which resulted in all records being sent right back to that awful childbirth where they both nearly died in labour.
I shook when I read the medical records of that fateful day, as it clearly stated the mother and child had a perfectly healthy birth !! I suffered with irrational guilt for years over nothing, but her lies had caused such trauma within me!
Much later, in the thick of the divorce by now her lies intensified as did the persecution, as my sleeping pattern became irregular, and I stopped dreaming altogether, haunted by what was happening to me. So did the words of her solicitor, words that would linger in me, belittling me over and over.
A few weeks after the divorce was finalised and my ex-wife kept our boys away from me altogether, I suffered two mini strokes and spent a couple of months in hospital. I returned, finding I couldn’t get out in the world too easily, so I started to find a way to create a new artistic world. My old signature style of oil pastels and paintings that had created such a steady rhythm gave way to that of something new and exciting, that of the medium of Mirror photography.
I find the Mirror images I produce always have that element of mystery to it, so much so I wanted to expand on this and have created a fictional historic side to it through my writing so far five books in with my first novel now having a fresh pair of eyes on it with editing starting this month (Aug2025 ) and looking to publish possibly end of this year into next.
A strange but attractive viewpoint considering "I am dyslexic", which goes hand in hand with being creative.
So in a world that nothing made sense, I delved deeper into my historical and reflective Mirror landscape and writing, which became one, yes, that made sense. I explored the north to south of England, from the wide-open countryside to the urban, more gritty cities such as London, focusing on aspects that appealed to me through my mirror viewpoint.
I moved to Wales about two years ago, and fell in love with its magnificent landscapes, which I have begun framing in my own Mirror photographic way, from village to village now with a new, fresh, vigorous approach.
I have found a new rhythm of art.
Framio Wales
Yet I have found a new way to resurrect my original Rhythm of Artwork in the form of prints on clothing, so I or anyone can wear that Rhythm with pride!
No abuses of any kind can be justified and will never make sense to those who inflict that on others.
My ex-wife once said that art didn’t make sense to her anymore, whereas I feel the exact opposite. If anything, Art is more exhilarating than ever, as I raise my Mirrors or type a sentence. Nowadays Eventually my dreams retuned triumphantly feeling that reflective light harmonising within me,like a pure rhapsody of strength, crystallising in a luminous flux of warm energy
Exhibitions Malcolm Halsall B.A (Hons)
1997 Paintings (Mix) The Ancient High House, Stafford
1997 Paintings, The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford
1997 Paintings (Solo)The Ancient High House, Stafford
1998 Paintings Ingestre Residential Art Centre, Hall, Staffordshire
2000/2001 Oil Pastels Circles Gallery, Southsea, Portsmouth
2001 Mix Medium, Portsmouth University group and solo show
2001 Frames/Photography South Sea Pier -Open Band
2001 Painting and Oil Pastels. Portsmouth Art Centre
2001 Oil Pastels, Circles Gallery, Southsea, Portsmouth
2001 K6 Public Telephone Box 0178530262822 Petersfield
2002 Final degree exhibition, Portsmouth University
2002 Painting Mountbatten Gallery, Portsmouth
2002/3 Hampshire Terrace Show Apartment
2003 Painting Mountbatten Gallery, Portsmouth
2003 Photography Art Shed, New Milton, New Forest, Hampshire
2003 Oil Pastels and painting, The Gallery by the Lake, London
2003/4 Paintings and photography Meridian Centre and Gallery, Havant, Hampshire
2003/4 Paintings and photography Harbour Lights Independent cinema and Gallery Southampton
2004 Photography Eastleigh Gallery Centre
2004/ Ongoing permanent collection, Paintings and oil pastels, Rothman and Co., Chartered Accountants, Havant, Hampshire
2004/2005 Tin Foil and Photography Gallery Barn, Denmead, Hampshire
2003/4 Mirror Photography Harbour Lights Independent cinema and Gallery Southampton
2006 Oil Pastels Dom Gallery, Edinburgh
2007 Frames and Photography Calshot Gallery
2004 Oil Pastels and paintings Eastleigh Gallery Centre North End Portsmouth
2007 Site-specific Photography Ranton Abbey, Staffordshire
2008 Mirror Photography, Southampton City Art Gallery
2008/9 Mirror Photography Portsmouth City Museum
2009 Mirror Photography The Green Room Albert Road
2009 Mirror Photography Denplan Heath Centre Eastleigh
2009 Mirror Photography, Havant Meridian Centre and Gallery
2009 Mirror Photography Art Ache Gallery, Havant
2009 Mirror Photography Art House Portsmouth
2009 Mirror Photography Caudwell Charity Butterfly Ball, London
2011 Paintings, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography, the Discovery Centre, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography Kings Theatre, Southsea
2012 Mirror Photography, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2013 Mirror Photography, Eldon Gallery, Southsea
2014 Mirror Photography Portsmouth Theatre
2014 Mirror Photography Open Band Southsea
2014 Mirror Photography Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2014 Mirror photography,3 Floor gallery, Portsmouth
2023 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2024 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2024-25 Mirror Photography and paintings, A present from the India gallery shop, Dolgellau
2025 Mirror Photography Plas Brondanw Crosor
2025 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2025 Mirror Photography Bangor Cathedral Inner shop
2025 Mirror photography Something out of nothing Gallery-Shop Machynlleth
In my teens, I left while finding myself constantly in conflict, finding ways to understand what happened, I began putting markings, scribbles, anything on paper to give that much-needed distance from that past. Exploring mediums such as pencil, paint and even tin foil. Finding that perfect rhythmic balance, with oil pastels becoming my primary medium, leading to my self-taught body of work, into my first three exhibitions.
“Rhythm of art"
This led me to move to the southern coast of Portsmouth to gain a degree in Fine Art, where I stayed for fifteen years working as an Artist Curator/founder of The Mountbatten Gallery in Portsmouth, and then a qualified Art Teacher. Unexpectedly, in the south, I found myself married and had two boys; however, the marriage was not going to last, and what began then was the worst kind of abuse that was inflicted upon me. In the form of false allegations, all the worse as endorsed by the family law court, as one parent abuses the other, and in my case, I can only talk from my experience of personal abuse that my ex-wife inflicted upon me.
I fought so very hard to gain fair and reasonable access to see my boys, who at the time of the separation were around eight and ten years old, while my ex-wife and her brother committed perjury on the stand with their lies, and still nothing was done.
Perhaps one of the cruellest forms of her abuse started before I even realised, and was not only before our divorce proceedings began, no, strangely, this was before we even got married. My future ex-wife created in me a level of irrational guilt that would fester for years regarding the birth of my youngest child, where I was at home in the middle of the night, looking after our eldest, when my youngest was born. It was a few days after my future ex-wife gave me the devastating news that during childbirth, she and our youngest nearly died. I felt a part of me die just hearing such awful news, as she went on to describe how the umbilical cord got trapped around his neck. I felt awful, wishing I had been there to give support, even though I knew it wouldn’t have changed anything.
She went on to tell me she was advised not to have any more children, insisting that I have a vasectomy. I did that gladly, but it never took my guilt away; that got heavier over the years, feeling like I had let them both down, as I say, irrational guilt.
It was about ten years later, when we were getting divorced, my ex-wife told the doctor not to release any up-to-date information on my youngest, and especially about by then his autistic progress. Which was something else she claimed came about through the bad childbirth.
So, I went to my solicitor to intervene, which resulted in all records being sent right back to that awful childbirth where they both nearly died in labour.
I shook when I read the medical records of that fateful day, as it clearly stated the mother and child had a perfectly healthy birth !! I suffered with irrational guilt for years over nothing, but her lies had caused such trauma within me!
Much later, in the thick of the divorce by now her lies intensified as did the persecution, as my sleeping pattern became irregular, and I stopped dreaming altogether, haunted by what was happening to me. So did the words of her solicitor, words that would linger in me, belittling me over and over.
A few weeks after the divorce was finalised and my ex-wife kept our boys away from me altogether, I suffered two mini strokes and spent a couple of months in hospital. I returned, finding I couldn’t get out in the world too easily, so I started to find a way to create a new artistic world. My old signature style of oil pastels and paintings that had created such a steady rhythm gave way to that of something new and exciting, that of the medium of Mirror photography.
I find the Mirror images I produce always have that element of mystery to it, so much so I wanted to expand on this and have created a fictional historic side to it through my writing so far five books in with my first novel now having a fresh pair of eyes on it with editing starting this month (Aug2025 ) and looking to publish possibly end of this year into next.
A strange but attractive viewpoint considering "I am dyslexic", which goes hand in hand with being creative.
So in a world that nothing made sense, I delved deeper into my historical and reflective Mirror landscape and writing, which became one, yes, that made sense. I explored the north to south of England, from the wide-open countryside to the urban, more gritty cities such as London, focusing on aspects that appealed to me through my mirror viewpoint.
I moved to Wales about two years ago, and fell in love with its magnificent landscapes, which I have begun framing in my own Mirror photographic way, from village to village now with a new, fresh, vigorous approach.
I have found a new rhythm of art.
Framio Wales
Yet I have found a new way to resurrect my original Rhythm of Artwork in the form of prints on clothing, so I or anyone can wear that Rhythm with pride!
No abuses of any kind can be justified and will never make sense to those who inflict that on others.
My ex-wife once said that art didn’t make sense to her anymore, whereas I feel the exact opposite. If anything, Art is more exhilarating than ever, as I raise my Mirrors or type a sentence. Nowadays Eventually my dreams retuned triumphantly feeling that reflective light harmonising within me,like a pure rhapsody of strength, crystallising in a luminous flux of warm energy
Exhibitions Malcolm Halsall B.A (Hons)
1997 Paintings (Mix) The Ancient High House, Stafford
1997 Paintings, The Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford
1997 Paintings (Solo)The Ancient High House, Stafford
1998 Paintings Ingestre Residential Art Centre, Hall, Staffordshire
2000/2001 Oil Pastels Circles Gallery, Southsea, Portsmouth
2001 Mix Medium, Portsmouth University group and solo show
2001 Frames/Photography South Sea Pier -Open Band
2001 Painting and Oil Pastels. Portsmouth Art Centre
2001 Oil Pastels, Circles Gallery, Southsea, Portsmouth
2001 K6 Public Telephone Box 0178530262822 Petersfield
2002 Final degree exhibition, Portsmouth University
2002 Painting Mountbatten Gallery, Portsmouth
2002/3 Hampshire Terrace Show Apartment
2003 Painting Mountbatten Gallery, Portsmouth
2003 Photography Art Shed, New Milton, New Forest, Hampshire
2003 Oil Pastels and painting, The Gallery by the Lake, London
2003/4 Paintings and photography Meridian Centre and Gallery, Havant, Hampshire
2003/4 Paintings and photography Harbour Lights Independent cinema and Gallery Southampton
2004 Photography Eastleigh Gallery Centre
2004/ Ongoing permanent collection, Paintings and oil pastels, Rothman and Co., Chartered Accountants, Havant, Hampshire
2004/2005 Tin Foil and Photography Gallery Barn, Denmead, Hampshire
2003/4 Mirror Photography Harbour Lights Independent cinema and Gallery Southampton
2006 Oil Pastels Dom Gallery, Edinburgh
2007 Frames and Photography Calshot Gallery
2004 Oil Pastels and paintings Eastleigh Gallery Centre North End Portsmouth
2007 Site-specific Photography Ranton Abbey, Staffordshire
2008 Mirror Photography, Southampton City Art Gallery
2008/9 Mirror Photography Portsmouth City Museum
2009 Mirror Photography The Green Room Albert Road
2009 Mirror Photography Denplan Heath Centre Eastleigh
2009 Mirror Photography, Havant Meridian Centre and Gallery
2009 Mirror Photography Art Ache Gallery, Havant
2009 Mirror Photography Art House Portsmouth
2009 Mirror Photography Caudwell Charity Butterfly Ball, London
2011 Paintings, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography, the Discovery Centre, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2011 Mirror Photography Kings Theatre, Southsea
2012 Mirror Photography, Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2013 Mirror Photography, Eldon Gallery, Southsea
2014 Mirror Photography Portsmouth Theatre
2014 Mirror Photography Open Band Southsea
2014 Mirror Photography Lu Chinos Bistro and Gallery, Gosport
2014 Mirror photography,3 Floor gallery, Portsmouth
2023 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2024 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2024-25 Mirror Photography and paintings, A present from the India gallery shop, Dolgellau
2025 Mirror Photography Plas Brondanw Crosor
2025 Mirror Photography MOMA Tabernacle Art Competition Machynlleth
2025 Mirror Photography Bangor Cathedral Inner shop
2025 Mirror photography Something out of nothing Gallery-Shop Machynlleth
