ABOUT THE ARTIST
I started watching airshows when I was just about old enough to walk. Halfpenny Green Airfield was local to where we lived and annual airshows and air races were held there. It was from being taken to airshows in my early years to see and hear Lightnings and Vulcans that my fascination with aircraft grew. So, naturally when I started painting, aircraft became my chosen subject. Aviation has generally remained the main focus of my work; however, I also paint other subjects, with a keen interest in motorsport.
My preferred choice of painting medium is traditional oils on canvas. I have a precise, technical style of painting and I particularly enjoy producing large and detailed work when possible. The ‘Creative Process’ pages provide more of an insight to my work.
My paintings hang in collections around the world, including the RAF Club, 1(F) Squadron RAF, Lockheed Martin and the private collections of pilots, an Oscar winning film director and an English Rally Champion, to name just a few.
I am a Full Member of the Guild of Aviation Artists (GAvA) and have exhibited numerous times at their annual ‘Aviation Paintings of the Year Exhibition’.
A large proportion of the paintings I produce are commissions, and I often receive repeat commissions, so I feel I must be doing something right. The montage shows a brief example of various commissions I’ve produced. Each one is a unique undertaking and can often feature lesser-known or personal events. I enjoy painting commissions and I’m extremely grateful to all of my customers for allowing me to create such a varied portfolio of work.
In 2015 AgustaWestland celebrated a centenary of UK aircraft production. As part of these celebrations a special centenary award was presented at a private AgustaWestland evening reception, held at the annual exhibition of the Guild of Aviation Artists.
I was honoured to have my painting ‘Joint Force’ selected as the winner, with the award presented to me by the Secretary of State for Defence.
Growing up, I had various models hanging from my bedroom ceiling, from a Spitfire to an Apollo moon rocket. I still build models, but these days I use them as an aid for painting, as they are a great way of understanding the form of an aircarft and how light hits the various surfaces from differing angles.
I’m sure I wouldn’t win any model making competitions, as the models I build just need to provide form. I add all of the weathering & final detailing in my paintings, rather than to the models.
My collection of reference models is continually expanding, and quite diverse given the range of aircraft I’ve portrayed over the years.
From a young age my aptitude for drawing was encouraged by my parents and art teachers alike. Although I wasn’t very old at the time I can distinctly remember my father, who was a good sketch artist, teaching me how to draw an aeroplane. I was drawing a Mosquito in my childish manner, which resulted in the wings being at slightly odd angles. My father produced a sketch showing me how to construct a perspective of the fuselage and how the wings were then aligned. To this day it was the best art lesson I ever had.
At school I excelled at art and technical drawing. In my final year I won the award for ‘Best Artistic Achievement’ and my art teacher insisted that upon leaving school I should pursue art as a profession.
My first aviation picture of any importance was created for an art exam. I had to choose from a list of several titles and selected ‘Scene Through a Window’ to work with. I produced a drawing looking out of a Tornado cockpit as it flew along a mountainous valley. A grade ‘A’ was achieved and my association with aviation art was affirmed.
I started to paint with oils at the age of 19. I had no formal tuition with this medium, I just picked up some brushes and had a go – a Spitfire being my first natural choice of subject. The first paintings were of course below standard, but I persevered by trying different techniques until I achieved satisfactory results.
I started exhibiting and selling paintings through local galleries gaining regular sales before setting up my own website. I enjoy connecting with collectors and enthusiasts around the world and my art now hangs in collections from New Zealand to the Canadian Yukon.
I live & work in the heart of the Worcestershire countryside, close to the famous hill climb course at Shelsley Walsh (the oldest motorsport venue in the world still run on its existing track) and I enjoy attending the various events held there throughout the year. My painting featuring Hans Stuck driving his Auto Union Type-C up the hill in 1936 is featured in my ‘Creative Process’ pages.
My studio is also located on a low-level training flight path for the Royal Air Force and Army Air Corp, which can be a nice distraction at times!
