Complex sentence: For years he pushed a handcart, packed with paintings round all his local pubs selling what he could in almost folkloric-like tradition, becoming at times like the characters he went on to portray in later scenes.
Split into simpler sentences: For years he pushed a hand cart, packed with paintings round all his local pubs selling what he could in almost folk-lore tradition. Becoming at times, like the characters he went on to portray in later scenes.