Michael Vaughan uses cricket ball to make art

November 30, 2009 5:12 PM

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan is hoping to knock art critics for six after switching the crease for the canvas.

The 35-year-old batsman has currently got an exhibition of his abstract works on show at a Cardiff art gallery.

Vaughan creates the Jackson Pollock-esque images with a technique he dubbed "artballing" - where he paints cricket balls with a symbolic colour and then bats it against a blank canvas.

He says he has been pleased with the results from his 100mph creative process in a Yorkshire warehouse… dnd who is going to argue with a artist waving a cricket bat.

Vaughan says his love of art was cemented in the first part of this decade when cricketing team mate Ashley Giles took Vaughan to the art galleries in Shoreditch, during ‘rained off’ matches in London.

Speaking about the work he said: "It is a very rare thing to be able to follow a career path that you love and the opportunity to combine my two greatest passions – art and cricket – has been a sublime moment in an extraordinary life of highs and lows, dreams and sometimes nightmares.

"Artballing captures the drama, speed and excitement of cricket in one precious, dynamic visual moment that, unlike the perfect six, lasts a lifetime."

Limited edition prints of his images - Perfect Six!, Power Play, Day/Night and Yes, No, Maybe? - are currently selling for up to £600 each from Castle Galleries in Cardiff Bay.