Artist's portrait

The man dubbed 'one of the rising stars of British painting' is the subject of A Picture of Manchester, a half-hour documentary on BBC1.

The one-off programme is being shown to accompany a major series, The Painting of the English Landscape, presented by David Dimbleby

The documentary follows Liam, 41, as he searches for subjects for his heavily stylised urban landscapes, and then records him creating a painting in his studio.

"I found that very inhibiting," he said.

In spite of his rising profile, Liam has not been tempted to move away from his East Lancashire roots.

He grew up in Harle Syke in Burnley, and attended St John the Baptist Primary School, and then St Theodore's High School.

He now lives in Cloughfold, in Rossendale, with wife Heather and sons Hugh, nine, and Tom, seven.

"I think I always wanted to do something creative," he said. "But it was when I did a foundation course at Burnley College that I found out that I wanted to become an artist."

A fine art degree at Manchester Polytechnic followed, and it was there that Liam's distinctive painting style evolved.

"I love working in oils," he said. "There is just so much you can do with it."

In 2000 Liam got his big break when his work was chosen for one of the opening exhibitions at the prestigious Lowry Centre in Salford Quays.

"I suppose the Lowry was a big step up,"

he said.

Since then he has exhibited in London and Edinburgh, and a major exhibition of new work is being planned for Manchester in September.

In one painting Liam has managed to introduce one of the other great passions of his life Burnley FC.

He has painted a picture of the club's Turf Moor ground and a limited edition print is available from the club shop.

"Having painted Maine Road and Old Trafford it was inevitable that I should paint Turf Moor," he said.

Liam's work is in great demand -- his canvases command prices of between £1,000 and £5,000.

l A Picture of Manchester, tonight, BBC1 10.40pm.