Vibrant Watercolor Paintings Tell A Story

Geoffrey Houghton explains his paintings, pointing out different examples of his style from small, pencil sketches to large watercolors on canvas. Sitting in his living room, with a fire in the wood stove, he talks about new techniques he is trying, with different paints.

His enthusiasm for his work is obvious from the detail in the unique paintings and the creative stories that go with them. For example, “Lizzie Rides the Cog,” features one of his characters riding up the Cog Railway. The explanation states “Lizzie C. Bourne reached the summit of Mt. Washington on June 20th 1883 by the way of a little known 3-wheel contraption inspired by the Richard Trevithick's ‘Puffing Devil’ to fit the Cog Railway.”

Many of his vibrant watercolor paintings come with a story, which he researches historically as well as adding to with fictional details. They are in the genre of Steampunk, a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that features social or technological aspects of the 19th century. Examples in pop culture include movies such as “Wild Wild West,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” and the recent award-winning Martin Scorsese film “Hugo.”

Houghton calls his work “SteamFolk” because it is often focused on his elongated characters.

“I am drawn by the mechanics of things, such as bicycles, even more than the characters,” he said. His paintings feature elaborate mechanical gizmos, often connected to the people’s arms or bodies.

He had been painting elongated Siamese cats, inspired by Amedo Modigliani, when a co-worker mentioned how it reminded him of Steampunk. After researching it, Houghton started working in this genre in 2006. He has recently been exploring magna techniques as well, creating smaller character studies with the enlarged eyes and outline in the style of Japanese anime.

“I may end up combining magna and Steampunk, there are things about both that I enjoy,” he said. “I don’t want to be in a specific box, I like to be able to try something different if I want to.

“I have a day job, so I am able to do what I want to do, I don’t feel like I have to sell out or create things to please others,” Houghton said. He works at Mass Mutual in Springfield, Mass.

Houghton has a small studio in his home in Broad Brook, really more of a pass-through with a sink and his easel, which he said keeps him close to the action of the family. He and his wife, Michele Houghton, have four children, ages 7 to 17. He credits Michele with being supportive and instrumental in his success.

A recent painting, “Admit II” is dedicated to Michele, and depicts a woman with a snail on her back and includes an ambigram of their names written into snail's movie ticket. An ambigram reads as one word in one direction, in this case Michele, and another in the opposite direction, Geoffrey.

Houghton, 43, suffered a stroke in May 2011, and went through about five months of speech and occupational therapy as part of his recovery. He said he still struggles at times to find the right words and has problems with certain pronunciations, but was able to go back to painting without a problem. The first painting he completed after his stroke was “Admit II.”

He has a display opening in February at the Simsbury Library and had a show in January at the Bissell Inn in Suffield. His work is available at Brazen Betty’s in Torrington and the Wall Talk Art & Design Gallery in Northampton, Mass. He also showcases his work on his Facebook page, Geoffrey Houghton SteamFolk Art, updating what he is working on for followers. His original works and smaller prints are available on Etsy.

Houghton also participated in the 2011 Hartford Open Studio Event, last November, where he received a prize for Best Theme Interpretation for “French Mary Vivandiere.” His art also has been on display at Suffield’s William Pinney Gallery, the Tolland Arts Center and has been accepted into the Somers Piedmont Art Show for the past four years.