Mining investments and cricket aren’t normally associated with art, but that’s exactly Elliot Wilson’s background. Mr Wilson is the latest Masterworks Museum artist in residence.

He is originally from Felstead, Essex, England and is a commodity trader, mining investment expert, and a former professional cricketer. However, he does not think commodity trading, sports and art are completely incongruous.

“I think that there is always a thread going through what you do,” he said. “I like having lots of different interests. I got injured in my sports career. I had a spinal injury and that stopped that. In sports you are supposed to work hard and train and be disciplined, and I think I have tried to apply that to the other areas of my life.”

He said while he is here for Masterworks, he will also be studying the corporate finance situation, meeting with different companies and perhaps people in government to talk about projects pertaining to his financial career.

“I don’t think it is odd, because I used to think I was a person who did one thing, when I was playing sports,” he said. “When I got injured realised I was someone who did lots of things. I am a jack of all trades and a master of none. I have led to an interesting life.”

He took up art in 2003 to fill the void left by sports. He is now represented by Gallery One in Surrey, England and has shown his work in New York, Australia and in London.

Mr Wilson works in a variety of mediums. He originally planned to first spend a week in Bermuda travelling around and getting a feel for things, and then to focus on working in oils and sketches. However, once he arrived in Bermuda his direction changed, and he decided, instead, to develop an art project that would involve the whole community.

He is in the midst of creating a giant image of an Island. He wants children from the community to add bits of fabric and material to his creation to make it into a kind of quilt. Nancy Frith, from the Bermuda Quilter’s Guild has volunteered her sewing expertise so that the bits of material can be stitched to the canvas. The end result will be a 15ft long and 4ft high art piece that will depict many of Bermuda’s famous buildings and landmarks.

“It is going to be this really fun image,” said Mr Wilson. “When I am finished I am hoping to find a generous buyer who might put it in a public area. It will be something that lots of children have worked on. It will be something very Bermudian and a bit different.”

In addition to this, he will still do the more traditional paintings and sketches of the Island while he is here.

“The Artist in Residence position at Masterworks was not something I was aiming at, but the opportunity came up and I am taking it and trying to bring my other life with me here as well,” he said. “Business involves using my brain and being sociable. I feel that gives me energy. When I am knackered I can do my art. When I do nothing but art, I can feel quite unfulfilled in another part of my brain and want to be stimulated there.

“Being an artist is a pretty tough profession to earn a living. When I get to the end of my life I wouldn’t be surprised if I am more of an artist than anything else. I think I will always do art, but I have to be realistic. I still have to earn a living. Art is always there, always has been and always will be.”

Mr Wilson will be on the Island until December 31. His exhibit will open in the Rick Faries Gallery at Masterworks on December 13 from 5.30pm to 7pm. He will be presenting a slide show and discussion of his work in progress on December 4 at 12.15pm.

These events are free and open to all. For more information contact Vincent O’Reilly at the museum on 299-4000. Also, see Mr Wilson’s website at elliottwilson.artweb.com .