Highworth Artists' Society

Profile

 

Date of Birth:  1953.

 

Place of Birth:   United Kingdom.

 

Web site: 

 

Collections:   Aunty Vera’s Travels, Aunty Vera’s Nightmares, Tanya’s Dreams, Ethel: Living Life to the Full, Toy Wars, Floral, Craftsmen, Cyclists, Bert: Doing What He Always Wanted.

 

Art Societies/Clubs:  Avebury Manor Art Group, Guild of Wiltshire Artists, Highworth Artists Society, Lechlade Art Society, Nythe Art Group.

 

Training:   School: Maltby Grammar, Bachelors: Manchester, Masters: Birmingham, Doctorate: Birmingham.

 

Awards:   Nellie Howarth Art Prize, Bill Bartrop Trophy.

 

My art training began at school - taught by a variety of art teachers at Maltby Grammar School in  Yorkshire. My forte was pencil drawing and I always had a good sense of proportion. In 1966 I won the Nellie Howarth Art Attainment prize, and in 1968 I won the fifth year arts prize. I also won the 4th and 6th year science prizes, so was torn between arts and sciences. I had always wanted to be an architect, but when it came to selecting subjects for university I suddenly changed my mind and went into engineering, eventually ending up with a doctorate in water resources. Art was my hobby, and over the years I have completed a large number of pencil drawings and pen and ink sketches, with subjects ranging from animals, to human portraiture and interesting old buildings. These have largely been given as gifts to friends and family.

 

Colour didn’t enter my art until I was around 40, when I decided to try my hand at watercolour. I attended a local night class and produced a number of passable paintings…..but I got busy with my day job when I was made Chief Engineer and then Director, and didn’t find enough time for painting. In April 2012, over 20 years later, I retired from my water resources world and took up painting again. I took a course with local watercolour artist Patrick Bown and have now become a full-time artist. I recently became a member of Highworth Artist’s Society, Lechlade Art Society, Nythe Art Group and the Guild of Wiltshire Artists and also paint with Avebury Manor Art Group.

 

Currently I work exclusively in watercolour. I like to have a theme for my paintings and have developed the "Aunty Vera", "Toy Wars" and "Craftsmen" collections.  I also enjoy working out perspective and lighting. I am happy to undertake commissions.