'I love birds, I love shoes and I love vibrant gardens': Vic Reeves opens new exhibition in Penzance

  • Watch Charlotte Gay's report and the full tour below

The artist Jim Moir, best known as his comedic alter-ego Vic Reeves, has officially opened his first ever exhibition in Cornwall.

The collection of his sometimes surreal and tongue-in-cheek pictures is on display in June 2022 at Cornwall Contemporary gallery in Penzance.

The seaside town is just one of five places displaying paintings from the collection 'The Lord of the Radiant Garden'.

Footage of Jim painting one of the title pieces is played inside the gallery in Penzance Credit: Bryter Digital

Moir says he "loves" Cornwall and thought Penzance would be "an ideal place to show" his latest work.

He said: "I used to come here as a child because I had relatives who lived around, and it's got such great light and a vibrant artistic community."

The comedy star originally trained as an artist at the Sir John Cass Art School in London at the age of 22 before going on to create his comedy persona Vic Reeves.

"I ended up being on TV doing comedy because I thought I was actually doing a performance. It was an artistic piece, which ended up being comedy on TV," he added.

Vic Reeves became a household name in British comedy for television work but the artist says he's largely called time on doing any more TV shows - but will still do "bits and pieces".

He said: "I'm 63 now I'm taking it easy. I'm relaxing. Actually, I'm not. I'm more busy than I ever was, but I'm doing what I really want to do, which has paid off."

The collection by Jim Moir is on display at Cornwall Contemporary until the end of June 2022 Credit: ITV News

As well as his vibrant, surreal paintings, a number of Moir's delicate paintings of British birds such as swifts and nightingales are also on display.

He said: "I like so many different types of art and I graze upon different areas, and it depends on the mood you're in.

"Paint things that you love. I love birds, I love shoes and I love vibrant gardens. I love colour."

Moir though describes himself as "a birder not a twitcher" because he doesn't travel miles to find rare breeds.

  • Watch the full tour below