Jim Moir Art: Birds, Brushes, and a Bit of Dada
You may know Jim Moir as the eccentric half of the legendary British comedy duo Reeves and Mortimer. But step beyond the stage and television screen, and you’ll find a different kind of performer, a prolific, imaginative, and quietly serious artist with a paintbrush in hand.
Moir, who often signs his work under his real name rather than his comedic persona Vic Reeves, has carved out a distinctive space in the art world. With a career that spans decades, his work ranges from meticulous paintings and quirky prints to playful ceramics and moody photography. It’s surreal, it’s whimsical, and at times, wonderfully absurd, just like the man himself.
Birds, Brushes, and a Bit of Dada
If there’s one subject that’s come to define Moir’s visual art, it’s birds. His longstanding fascination with our feathered friends began early. “When I was a kid there were no laptops or games or anything like that,” he recalls. “So, you made your entertainment outdoors, and mine was looking for birds.”
That childlike curiosity still fuels him today. “I wake up in the morning, usually about 5am,” he says. “I go out and look at birds, then I come back and paint them.”
The result? His much-loved Bird Series — a collection of vibrant, often surreal avian portraits — has captured the attention of collectors and galleries alike. These works have performed well at auctions, occasionally fetching over $1,000, and are regularly featured in exhibitions across the UK.
But don’t mistake the birds for being purely academic studies. Moir’s take on the subject is distinctly his own: vivid colours, unexpected expressions, and a touch of surreal humour. His style has been described as Dada-Esque and delightfully offbeat, sometimes macabre, always captivating.
Painting for Laughs (and Sometimes for Love)
Unlike many artists, Moir doesn’t strive to make grand statements with his work. In fact, he actively resists it. “Art should be just for laughs,” he insists. “If something makes me laugh, that’s it.” He’s not interested in hidden meanings or social commentary. He paints what amuses him, and that sincerity is part of what makes his work so engaging.
“I’ve done straight drawings and paintings,” he admits, “but I haven’t got as much pleasure out of them as if I’d done something that would make me laugh.”
This blending of humour and visual art was visible even in his comedy days. Fans of The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer might remember the animated opening credits, which featured Moir’s own illustrations. He often submitted sketches to BBC set and costume designers, knowing that no verbal explanation could quite capture the oddball images he had in mind.
His book Sun Boiled Onions later collected many of those illustrations, a testament to the crossover between his comedic and artistic personas.
A Growing Presence in the Art World
Despite his comedic fame, Moir has long maintained that he’s “an artist first, comedian second.” It’s a sentiment echoed in his creative output, which has been showcased in some of the UK’s most respected institutions.
His work has appeared at the Saatchi Gallery and the Whitechapel Gallery in London, and he’s held solo exhibitions at the Manchester Art Gallery and beyond.
This summer, he returns to The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle with a headline exhibition titled Knot Twister Prologue (running from May 16 to July 25, 2025). The show will feature new original paintings, limited edition prints, and a charming new series called Newcastle Bridges—polaroids taken during his 1990s tour with The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer, now reimagined in watercolour.
The exhibition promises a rich blend of nostalgia and invention, a chance to see how Moir’s creativity has evolved over the years, while staying true to its roots in mischief and imagination.
TV, Books, and Birds (Again)
Moir’s not just confined to galleries either. His love of birds and painting has found its way back onto our screens, too. On Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir, a Sky Arts series co-hosted with his wife Nancy, viewers get a behind-the-scenes look at the couple’s travels, birdwatching adventures, and painting sessions. It’s a delightfully wholesome show, full of gentle humour and beautiful visuals.
He’s also published several books of his artwork, offering fans an intimate glimpse into his sketchbooks and visual brainwaves.
An Artistic Legacy Taking Flight
While some may still associate him primarily with his TV antics, Jim Moir’s place in the art world is firmly established. He’s an artist who doesn’t take himself too seriously but takes the act of creating seriously. That mix of joy, skill, and unpredictability is what makes his work stand out.
As artist Damien Hirst once noted, Moir’s work as Vic Reeves has been influential not just in comedy, but in art, too. And that influence is still growing.
With prices for his pieces ranging from £300 to £1,250, and a solid track record at auction, his artwork is gaining recognition not just for its humour, but for its value as a collectible. Still, Moir isn’t chasing trends or investment credibility.
For him, it all comes down to a simple principle: “I don’t differentiate between painting, acting, or comedy. I think everything I do is art.”
And really, whether it’s a peculiar pigeon on canvas or a punchline on stage, Jim Moir is still doing what he does best: making us look and laugh.
His exhibition of art can be seen at the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle with a headline exhibition titled Knot Twister Prologue, including a collection of original paintings, limited edition art prints, and a new series of ‘Newcastle Bridges’ – polaroids taken during his ’90s tour to the region with ‘The Smell of Reeves & Mortimer’ accompanied with new, original watercolour representations. running from May 16 to July 25, 2025.
For more information, call the Newcastle Biscuit Factory on 0191 261 1103 or visit their website. Open daily between 10 – 5 with Free Admission and Free parking, the gallery is only 5 minutes from Newcastle city centre.