Grimsby artist cruelly branded 'thick' due to dyslexia becomes world expert on furniture painting

Jonathon Marc Mendes does live painting demonstrations and hosts workshops
-Credit: (Image: Jonathon Marc Mendes)


A Grimsby artist who struggled in school and was once cruelly branded "thick" by another pupil has become an incredibly successful artist with fans from around the world.

Jonathon Marc Mendes, 43, runs the Painted Love YouTube channel which has nearly 70,000 subscribers. He was born in Cleethorpes and has lived in Grimsby all his life but said growing up with dyslexia was difficult, with another pupil once cruelling calling him "thick".

He said: "My education was pretty tough. I'm severely dyslexic and 30 years ago there was no one that was really recognising that as anything really.

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"School was hard for me. I was a quiet student and usually people that have learning issues are the noisy ones because they need extra attention. But I just faded into the background.

"I came away from school with poor grades and went into hairdressing which I am still in - I work locally at Louise Thomas Hair Design three days a week. That was something I could grasp because it was creative - I've always been a creative person.

Jonathon Mendes gives talks around the world about the art of furniture painting
Jonathon Mendes gives talks around the world about the art of furniture painting -Credit:Jonathon Mendes

"I got through my GCSEs but I wonder if I'd had the correct sort of help or encouragement at that time I might have achieved a bit more. I did get an A* in art so that was something I could channel."

Unfortunately, Jonathan's poor experience in education continued when he took night classes in interior design age 17. Despite his obvious talent for the creative arts, he says he was "turned away" after just six weeks because the teachers didn't know how to instruct someone with dyslexia.

"So that was the end of that career up until 11 years ago when I found some furniture paint," Jonathon recalled. "And then that was where it all began. It was a moment of sharing on Facebook and it just catapulted me into the world of furniture painting and artistry."

The YouTube videos got Jonathon the attention of big name brands who sponsored him. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint made Jonathon a painter in residence.

Jonathon Mendes working on a new creation
Jonathon Mendes working on a new creation -Credit:Jonathon Mendes

He added: "Since then, I have travelled the world globally teaching my techniques. I've taught in Australia and I'm going back there in three weeks time. I'm going to America, most of Europe, and I had an online school for a while too.

"I've been affiliated with some amazing brands globally, I've stepped away from Annie Sloan and I'm reaching out to different paint brands and products. Also, I've had products released, stencils, decoupage papers, wood u-bends.

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"It's a rags to riches story really. I've come from nothing, just sharing a few items on Facebook, to ending up travelling the world."

Jonathon said he sometimes thinks about what it would be like to confront a teacher he says tried to crush his dreams. He said: "Since that point, I've been published in magazines: Period Living Magazine and just this month I was in Reclaimed magazine.

A beautiful cabinet painted by Jonathon Marc Mendes
A beautiful cabinet painted by Jonathon Marc Mendes -Credit:Jonathon Marc Mendes

"I've done lots of publications globally. If I could find that teacher, I would go back and have my Pretty Woman moment and go back in and say, 'Did you achieve that?'

"Nobody should tell anybody young that they are incapable of doing what they want to do. Because I did it somehow through the backdoor."

Jonathon added: "In education, the focus is on being academic but Grimsby is full of amazing artists. We have dancers, actresses, singers. A lot of people from Grimsby have succeeded and I wonder why we don't promote the arts a little bit more."