ABOUT

ABOUT JAN

 

Jan Szymczuk is a British artist, illustrator and storyteller based in Stannington, Northumberland.

 

His work spans traditional acrylics and oil painting, pencil drawing, digital illustration and caricature, often rooted in memory, humour, identity and lived experience. From quiet, reflective portraits to bold, character-driven illustrations, Jan’s work explores people, place and personal history.

 

Born to Polish parents who settled in the North East of England after the Second World War, Jan grew up in the mining village of Pegswood. Drawing and painting from an early age, he went on to study art in Newcastle before life took him along a different path, as the Senior Police artist working at New Scotand Yard in London, one that would later deeply influence his creative voice.

 

Alongside his art, Jan is the author of Gabriella, a true story based on his mother’s childhood experiences during the Second World War. Abducted at the age of ten by German soldiers in occupied Poland, Gabriella was sent to forced labour on a farm in Germany. Her story of survival, resilience and memory now lives on through Jan’s writing and illustration.

 

Under the name “By Boris”, Jan also creates expressive digital police montages, portraits caricatures.

 

Also known s the Toon Army Artist, often humorous, sometimes satirical, always character-led. These works celebrate personality, fandom and identity, particularly within football culture and popular life in the North East.

 

Whether working in acrylics, oils, pencil or pixels, Jan’s approach remains the same, honest work, strong character, and stories worth telling.

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“Art, illustration and storytelling, rooted in memory, humour and place.”