The Artist
I was born in Nordelph, a small fenland village in 1946 and until 2001 lived in and around this area.
I left school at 15 and started work in the building industry. A serious road accident in 1969 led to a long spell off work and this was to be my first experience of painting. However after returning to work the paints were consigned to the cupboard and forgotten for several years.
Until the 1980's I seldom had time to return to my painting and there were many long periods where I did not paint. From the end of the 80's I tried to paint on a more regular basis and began exhibiting in local galleries. I also staged some 'One Man' exhibitions which were most successful.
The pressures of running my own building company left little time for painting but I continued to exhibit both localy and at national events gaining several awards on the way.
In Spring 1997 at my first showing at the British Society of Painters Exhibition in Ilkley I was elected a Companion of the International Guild of Artists. By spring 1998 1 had gained two further awards becoming an Associate of the British Society of Painters and was also selected for membership of the British Society of Miniaturists.
At the Christmas 1999 British Watercolour Society and the British Society of Miniaturists exhibition I was selected by Polymers Plus to receive their award for 'The miniaturist who best represented the age old tradition of a true miniature painter'.
In June 1998 and again in 1999 I was successful in being selected for the Hilliard Society annual exhibition in Wells, Somerset for which I was awarded the prestigious H.S. status.
I am a self-taught artist and over the years I have developed my own techniques and style, painting mainly in oils, acrylics and pastels.
In 2001 I decided that running a busy company was no longer my main priority in life. I sold all and moved with my wife and 2 year old daughter to the Dordogne region in South West France.
Since living in France building and renovations seem to have continued to be a big part of my life, however having recently undergone major surgery on my spine, it seems that building may have to be consigned to to cupboard instead of the paints!!!
I left school at 15 and started work in the building industry. A serious road accident in 1969 led to a long spell off work and this was to be my first experience of painting. However after returning to work the paints were consigned to the cupboard and forgotten for several years.
Until the 1980's I seldom had time to return to my painting and there were many long periods where I did not paint. From the end of the 80's I tried to paint on a more regular basis and began exhibiting in local galleries. I also staged some 'One Man' exhibitions which were most successful.
The pressures of running my own building company left little time for painting but I continued to exhibit both localy and at national events gaining several awards on the way.
In Spring 1997 at my first showing at the British Society of Painters Exhibition in Ilkley I was elected a Companion of the International Guild of Artists. By spring 1998 1 had gained two further awards becoming an Associate of the British Society of Painters and was also selected for membership of the British Society of Miniaturists.
At the Christmas 1999 British Watercolour Society and the British Society of Miniaturists exhibition I was selected by Polymers Plus to receive their award for 'The miniaturist who best represented the age old tradition of a true miniature painter'.
In June 1998 and again in 1999 I was successful in being selected for the Hilliard Society annual exhibition in Wells, Somerset for which I was awarded the prestigious H.S. status.
I am a self-taught artist and over the years I have developed my own techniques and style, painting mainly in oils, acrylics and pastels.
In 2001 I decided that running a busy company was no longer my main priority in life. I sold all and moved with my wife and 2 year old daughter to the Dordogne region in South West France.
Since living in France building and renovations seem to have continued to be a big part of my life, however having recently undergone major surgery on my spine, it seems that building may have to be consigned to to cupboard instead of the paints!!!