My Story

I’m an amateur watercolour artist based in Suffolk, UK. At the start of the seventies I completed a foundation course at Ipswich School of Art – it was while at college I was “advised” that I wasn’t skilled enough to pursue a career in Fine Art, so, apart from completing the occasional drawing, I took no further interest in drawing and painting and instead concentrated on music for the next 30 years playing lead rock guitar in various bands.

In 1998 it occurred to me that the almost photographic style of graphite pencil drawing I had favoured many years earlier at college, and more latterly with coloured crayons, might be applied to watercolour.

My paintings are worked from my own photographs (photography being another lifelong interest) but they are never simply a copy… detail can “make” a photograph, but all too often “kill” a painting when excessively applied. Although I paint using watercolour – I am not a watercolourist…  there is a vast difference and I am not talented enough!

Since my first tentative steps in 1998 my output to date has been comparatively low as each painting usually takes at least 3-6 weeks of concentration. I am very much learning as I go! I have staged two one-man exhibitions in Ipswich, had paintings accepted for Ipswich Art Society open exhibitions, exhibited at Ip-Art, and have won several local competitions / awards including 1st prize in the amateur section of the Rural Suffolk Town and Country Art competition in 2005.

Photography: I am a past member of the Ipswich and District Photographic Society, have won several local and national awards and have lectured on the subject. I use Olympus 35mm equipment exclusively – OM1’s and 2’s, mainly wideangle and 80/100mm lenses, Oly Trips, Oly 35RC’s and have an early, very basic, Oly digital camera for use as a “notebook”.

If you are interested in further details about the paintings and photos shown on this website please contact me below.