Sleepwalking Art (copy of article)

'Sleepwalking art' goes on show
Portrait by Lee Hadwin
The nightime art includes portraits
A man who starts drawing pictures after he draws the curtains at night is putting on an exhibition of his work.

Lee Hadwin, 33, from Henllan near Denbigh, says he has been doing what he calls "sleepwalking art" for years.

Mr Hadwin cannot explain why he becomes an artist once he goes to bed but puts it down to another part of his brain "kicking in" while he is asleep.

He said the only drawbacks were that he gets a migraine afterwards and that he sometimes paints under the stairs.

Mr Hadwin first started sleepwalking when he was about four or five years old "obviously just doing what normal kids do, running around the house and everything, nothing too serious".


Lee Hadwin
I normally get a migraine but apart from that I don't remember anything of the night - nothing
Lee Hadwin

"And then going back 12 to 14 years ago I stayed at a friend's house and when his mum got up she noticed we'd been drawing on the kitchen wall and she put that down to his drinking so I never thought anything of that," he said.

"It's only been the last 10 to 12 years where I started drawing on newspapers which I've got back to 1997, just doing sketches when I've been asleep.

Mr Hadwin said he just wakes up and his nocturnal art is there.

His strange night-time hobby has led to some problems, he admitted.

He sometimes paints under the stairs, he said, adding: "My mum's sick of painting under there"

Drawing by Lee Hadwin
Subjects also include this sleeping nude

Four months ago, Mr Hadwin said he cut a pair of his best jeans up and put a piece of fabric in the frame without even knowing - until the next morning.

"So that's how strange its getting".

"The only recollection I get or I know I've been sleepwalking is I normally get a migraine but apart from that I don't remember anything of the night - nothing."

His nocturrnal work covers everything from portraits to nudes, but Mr Hadwin still said he would not describe himself as artistic.

"Have a look at my school report, I'm no good at art at all."

His work will be exhibited at at Denbigh library on 5 October and some of the work will be sold, with proceeds going to charity.