Biography
My working life started in various nine to five jobs until my early twenties when I decided to try my hand as an artist. Eventually I thought it would be a good idea to be a little less bohemian and took a part-time two year course in Fine and Applied Art at the Sir John Cass School of Art. After which I worked in an art studio for two years.
In 1992 again deciding to pursue my painting ambitions,as a self taught artist, I put much more effort into the research of painting techniques and materials. My style although more modern is influenced by the late 19th and early 20th century traditional styles of painting for which I often visit some of the galleries in London to get a more 'hands on' experience of paintings of the past masters. After all it was Renoir who said something to the effect :-
Much can be learned from painting out in the field but it is in the galleries that we can learn something of the techniques and the feel of how to handle paint!
I mostly work from my own photos and colour notes although in the past I would sometimes finish the last third off in situ to gain more accurate information for the painting - something I again want to do more of!
My subject material is quite wide: varying from coastal and landscpe paintings(from Devon, Cornwall, Deryshire, South Coast and the Lake District) to village and townscapes (such as in the Cotswolds and Stratford Upon Avon).Most of my work, though, has been of London including River Thames views (from Chiswick to Tower Bridge), the residential ares of the West End such as Mews and Regency style houses (including Montpelier Square and Ennismore Garden Mews) and pub scenes from areas like Shepherd Market.
Having painted a lot of architectural work I decided that I must go to Venice. So in September 2001 I went over there for a few days to photograph as much material as possible and get a feel of the mood and the full atmosphere of the place.
Materials used - I work mostly on acrylic primed cotton duck box canvases and paint in Winsor and Newton, Micheal Harding and Old Holland Classic oil paints using linseed oil and white spirit as thinners. I have enjoyed working on oil primed linnen canvas in the past!
In 1992 again deciding to pursue my painting ambitions,as a self taught artist, I put much more effort into the research of painting techniques and materials. My style although more modern is influenced by the late 19th and early 20th century traditional styles of painting for which I often visit some of the galleries in London to get a more 'hands on' experience of paintings of the past masters. After all it was Renoir who said something to the effect :-
Much can be learned from painting out in the field but it is in the galleries that we can learn something of the techniques and the feel of how to handle paint!
I mostly work from my own photos and colour notes although in the past I would sometimes finish the last third off in situ to gain more accurate information for the painting - something I again want to do more of!
My subject material is quite wide: varying from coastal and landscpe paintings(from Devon, Cornwall, Deryshire, South Coast and the Lake District) to village and townscapes (such as in the Cotswolds and Stratford Upon Avon).Most of my work, though, has been of London including River Thames views (from Chiswick to Tower Bridge), the residential ares of the West End such as Mews and Regency style houses (including Montpelier Square and Ennismore Garden Mews) and pub scenes from areas like Shepherd Market.
Having painted a lot of architectural work I decided that I must go to Venice. So in September 2001 I went over there for a few days to photograph as much material as possible and get a feel of the mood and the full atmosphere of the place.
Materials used - I work mostly on acrylic primed cotton duck box canvases and paint in Winsor and Newton, Micheal Harding and Old Holland Classic oil paints using linseed oil and white spirit as thinners. I have enjoyed working on oil primed linnen canvas in the past!
