Paintings from Mark Gatiss and John Lithgow among exhibition of actors’ art

One of the paintings by Chris Villiers, who is also curating the ‘Many Actors Make Art’ exhibition in Brixton in July. Photograph: MaMa

By night, Mark Gatiss is portraying Sir John Gielgud at the National Theatre. By day, he is portraying the great Shakespearean actor on canvas at home.

Gatiss – who shot to fame in The League of Gentlemen, has had screen roles in Game of Thrones and Doctor Who, and acted in and co-wrote Sherlock – has long loved art. Having made a documentary for television on the 1950s painter, John Minton, five years ago, he was inspired to start art classes during Covid in 2021. “Drawing and painting are both relaxing and stimulating,” Gatiss told the Observer. “I don’t know of any other activity where I lose myself so completely.”