PETER MARKEY was born in Swansea in 1930. Following National Service he attended Swansea Art College but went into teaching until the mid-80s. Actively avoiding categorisation and the art-Establishment, he has become most well-known for his automata, which he started making in the 70s, though he has always found time to paint and draw as well.
As an automatist he was a founder-exhibitor at "Cabaret" Museum of Mechanical Theatre*; as such he has shown on almost every occupied continent but, unaccountably, he is still hardly known as a painter, despite his inimitable imagery and his showing in mixed and solo shows nationwide for well over 30 years. His latest major exhibition was of 45 new works at "The First" Gallery earlier this year to celebrate his 75th birthday.
* "Cabaret" started in Falmouth, Peter's then home town, before it set up more famously in Covent Garden.