The Art World’s New Rising Star, Will McNally, Tells All in a New Interview…
The world of contemporary art is not an easy place to make a name for yourself, but rising star Will McNally is fast finding himself at the centre of rising stardom, amidst a career that started with humble beginnings.
Will has already gained mainstream popularity, catching the attention of the likes of musicians, film producers and professional footballers alike with his nostalgic 90s/00s-Esque Hollywood-inspired pieces. What most of these newfound fans don’t realise, is that his career in art was inadvertent and sparked by a charitable cause.
At aged 15, Will’s auntie was hosting a charity event and looking for new ways to fundraise. ‘I told her I could paint something, which surprised her – at the time I’d never tell people I liked to paint, as I was worried people would think I was a geek, or nerdy, but at home, I was getting stuck into it and it became a real passion’. Thankfully, his auntie believed in his burgeoning talent, ‘so we went and bought two canvases and some paint, and then I started painting the East End gangsters the Krays. My auntie couldn’t believe I could paint something like that, so we went to the charity with it, and it sold for a few hundred quid’, he explains. Needless to say, he interjects with a touch of refreshing reality – ‘as a young lad, I was thinking that was a lot of money, and that was the drive when I was that age, thinking about the number of sweets I could buy with that!’.
The charity fundraising, however, quickly set up the prodigal child on the course to success that many may only imagine. Crippled by teenage anxiety, Will McNally admits he kept his hobby a secret until he matured. ‘I was a kid and worried that painting would attract certain attention, with people calling me a nerd or a geek. It’s only in recent years where I’ve realised life is too short, and that I shouldn’t shy away from something I love’.
Unlike many artists, who hail from privileged backgrounds involving expensive art schools and well-networked parents, Will’s neon-soaked art is inspired by the idolisation of those on the big screen – living lives far removed from his own. ‘I was in my overdraft when I was thinking about focusing on painting and was looking for a sign to convince me this was the right idea – and I’ll never forget, an hour later, receiving a message on Instagram asking me if they could buy a painting. I knew from that moment this was my calling’, he says, reflecting on his working-class roots. He is keen for all work to stay true to his Irish and Cypriot heritage, whilst carving a new truly Great British art niche. ‘I think the boldness and the flamboyance of my work definitely have its roots in my Irish side. I’m lucky to have parents who came from such distinct, colourful cultures, and I think that has inspired me to paint and innovate the way I do. My family have continued to support me. My dad recently visited an exhibition I had in London, and it was great to see his reaction to my work – it makes me proud to be doing what I’m doing’.
It’s no wonder that art-lovers find him so relatable when they hear his story. Combined with his vivacious pop-culture inspired pieces, Will accesses an audience that has previously struggled to find their way in the world of contemporary art.
Almost a full decade after his painting for charity, the value of Will’s artwork has soared 58% in the last six months and he is well lauded on social media for his canvas captures of famous faces. His current project is a series focusing on gangsters – not dissimilar from his initial foray crafting the Krays – contrasting real-life mobsters with those depicted in cinema.
Will’s work can be viewed in an upcoming virtual exhibition (very on-brand for 2020!) in a joint exhibition with Joe Webb, highlighting Will’s radiant celebrity anti-heroes amongst Joe’s analogue and retro collages.
Finally, it seems Will McNally is able to accept some of the praise fast heading his way, and hold the self-belief he needs to in order to continue on this path, saying ‘It’s now mad that, seven years on, I’m working on a gangster series, after doing the piece on the Krays for a charity event. It’s gone full circle; I truly believe this is my calling.’
