YOU wouldn’t necessarily equate a management consultant turned travel business owner with a successful art career, but for Robert Cox the move has proved to be the right one.

Robert started out life as an engineer but now is happiest when he is at home in Ainsworth pondering over his latest painting.

He came to oil painting slightly later in life than many artists do having had no formal training — he was in his 40s when he decided to take the plunge.

“I didn’t even study art at school but I always enjoyed drawing when I was a child,” said Robert, who was a pupil at St James’ School in Farnworth.

Although his youngest sister, Sara, is one of Bolton’s most famous exports — she now lives in London — to Robert, “she is just my little sister”.

He last saw her just a couple of weeks ago at their mother Jackie’s 60th birthday party and has been down to spend time with her and her children, Lola and Isaac, in London.

The family is very close and Robert appeared with Sara and other family members on Celebrity Family Fortunes, hosted by fellow Bolton lad Vernon Kay.

“We had a great time. It was good fun,” said Robert.

Robert was an engineer after leaving school and then turned his hand to helping businesses as a management consultant.

Then, for 16 years, he was the founder and owner of PR World Travel in Radcliffe which he sold in 2006. Robert then decided it was time to follow his dream.

“Making the change from running a busy travel business to working alone as an artist has taken some time to adjust and this has been made easier for me by the support of my wife who goes to work every day and doesn’t complain when I often work through the day, late into the evening and often at weekends,” he said.

Robert, married to Sarah-Jane, aged 41, who works for Barclays, had been painting one or two days a week until he felt ready to embrace himself in his new-found career full-time two years ago.

Since then Robert, aged 46, has been building up an extensive portfolio of paintings — each individual and unique.

He works primarily with oil paints but often incorporates other materials including acrylics, gold leaf and glass.

Most are abstract and challenge the viewer’s perception. “That’s why I enjoy seeing people react to the paintings. Everyone sees something different in each painting,” he said.

A couple are pretty obvious — a red flower with green leaves is hard to imagine as anything else but others are less conventional and prove to be incredibly thought-provoking.

The time Robert takes to create each of his paintings varies considerably depending on the size and complexity.

“But time isn’t the issue — it’s whether I am satisfied with the result,” he said.

“Oil paints have been used for centuries and are notoriously slow drying. Each piece is created over a period of weeks or months, but can take many months to fully dry,” he explained.

Robert will work on some of his paintings over a few weeks until he considers them complete, while other pieces will take much longer.

The walls of Robert and Sarah-Jane’s home are now adorned with Robert’s handiwork.

Their ultra-modern home, shared with the four children they have between them, is a perfect gallery for Robert’s contemporary work.

Some of the his paintings are on display at two restaurants, Sergio’s in Bury and Casa Belmondo in Royton.

“I got in big trouble with Sarah-Jane when I took some of our paintings to Sergio’s to be displayed and had to bring them back because she wanted them and didn’t realise I was taking them,” Robert said.

His inspiration can come from just about anything.

“I get my best ideas last thing at night before I go to sleep and first thing in the morning — when there are fewer distractions,” he said.

New kitten Tink is proving to be a minor distraction but the superb views from the house act as perfect inspiration for Robert.

“You have to be self-motivated though to work from home,” he said.

Robert is displaying his work at Wensley Art Gallery in Ramsbotton until Thursday, December 11.

He is hoping the gallery will help to get his work noticed by a wider audience.

And DJ Sara will be visiting the gallery to take a look at her brother’s work when she next comes to the area to see the family.

Robert said he loves what he does and gains a great deal of satisfaction from his work.

“Each canvas is like a new journey and I don’t usually know exactly where that journey will end because each brush stroke changes the painting and ultimately the final outcome,” he said.