I am my own biographer in the 1st person, I feel it would be pretentious to write a glowing tribute about myself, by myself,in the hope of bolstering credence for my work. No, what you see is what you get, the work is either good or it's bad, and no amount of words will change that. If you like my art you’ll buy it because, you like it, it lifts your spirit, and you want to decorate your home with it.

So where does this art come from? Well not any formal training; in my youth my parents guided my educational path, despite my leaning to creativity, away from the arts, favouring science and other such academic subjects they felt more suited to obtaining a “proper Job”. In the decade after WW2 there was not much call for the arts.

Despite that the creative talent placed within me has sought ways of expression, and over the years I have been a Builder, a Carpenter, an Antiques Restorer, I have made furniture for friends, built studios for other artists and designed and built Traditional Oak timber framed buildings for clients. Never been a Scientist though.

Finally in 1998 after the gift of some oil paints and brushes from my wife at Christmas, I found the true medium of expression that my spirit craved and began painting recreationally. I had never painted in oils before nor had any technical training so it was a steep learning curve. However after many trials and even many more errors I finally began to get the hang of it.

After the downturn of the construction industry in 2008/2009, I decided to turn my hand to fine art professionally.

I work from a studio at the end of my garden overlooking the ancient Ridgeway a medieval drovers track in the heart of the Oxfordshire Countryside.

I really love painting and the hours just melt away when I’m in my studio with my best friend to keep me company,
 

Coming from three generations of sea faring family and living on the South West coast of England for most of my formative years spawned a fascination with all things maritime, especially classic sailing vessels. I have had the good fortune to sail on a few of these vessels for brief occasions from time to time.It is a unique experience to sail under the power of the wind with the sting of salt spray, the billow and crack of canvass sail, and the creaking of hemp rope through the eyes and blocks, the timber deck and hull rolling and pitching under foot. As I am painting these beautiful vessels I can relive, to an extent, the sight sounds and sensation of sea faring in its glory days.

Another great influence in my life has been the African continent with relatives living in Rhodesia, Mozambique and South Africa I had the opportunity in my early teens to make my first trip there. Once you’ve been you never want to stop going. There is something intoxicating about the rich sounds, smells, colours and cultural diversity that infiltrate your very essence. The most inspiring of all is the wild life and big game seen in their natural habitat. My wife and our three children had the great fortune of living in Cape Town for ten years, and at the time as a light aircraft pilot I had the opportunity to see the terrain and the raw unadulterated beauty of one of the most awe inspiring coast lines in the world from a bird’s eye perspective.

Wantage and Vale Museum and Gallery solo exhibition .......................................2006 Oxfordshire Artweek, Studio exhibition ..............2007 Royal Berkshire Artweek festival Studio exhibition ...........................................2007 http://www.open-studios.org.uk/ Insight Gallery, Greenham Common, mixed exhibition .....................................2007 Untitled Artists Exhibition, Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, London...............................2009 Oxfordshire Artweek, Studio exhibition, May 7th – 15th.....................................2011 http://www.artweeks.org Landmark Art Fairs Midsummer Art Fair 2011 Ferry Road Teddington TW11 9NN Private View: Friday 24 June 2011 Open to the public: Saturday 25–Sunday 26 June 2011 Mixed exhibition www.landmarkartscentre.org Marwell International Wildlife Art Society (MIWAS) 13th Annual Wildlife Art Exhibition Thursday 25th - Monday 29th August 2011 www.miwas.co.uk