Photo / Art Links
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| I was born in Sunderland in the North East of England about sixty miles south from the scottish border. I have been drawing ever since I can remember. My serious drawing started out with graphite (pencil) and later into pastel where I was first introduced to a color medium. | |
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My fascination with computers began around this era when home computers first were becoming available. After school and on many weekends I used to spend hour after hour at 'The Old House' - a mansion really, situated in the grounds of my Comprehensive School. The Old House harbored several scientists, which were inventing weather measuring and monitoring equipment for the government. The building had a wealth of computers and electronic equipment. The director, Tom Mead, allowed me to spend my free time there where I absorbed information like a dry sponge! I also spent a lot of time using their hi-tech video camera, filming whatever I could think of - taking in mind that this was the era before the advent of 'camcorders'. My love for technology has increased over the years almost as fast as technology itself. I have since acquired numerous computing certificates from The Sunderland College including AutoCAD R.14 and a UCLES in 'Multi-Media Authoring'. |
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| While attending art class at school my ability to draw increased more with practise than with tuition. It was not until I was accepted and attended Monkwearmouth College where I studied Art & Design that the real learning began. It was there that I was introduced to a world of other mediums. The methods used by Rembrandt is what fascinated me most and is the method by which I paint today. | |
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After college I spent some years helping with the family hotel business but realized that I needed to go out on my own. Prince Charles set up a trust helping young entrepreneurs to start their own business, offering grants and interest free loans. I was awarded both. It was very difficult to find a market in 'Original Art' so after some persuation from my Business Counselor, I opened a framing, artwork and restoration business called - 'Picture This'. A year later I found a market for original art in the Canary Island, Spain, where I moved to and began producing portraits (in soft / oil pastels) for local residents. |
| Several years later I met my wife and moved from South Africa, where I was learning to fly at the time, to her native country, America. I now fly for a corporate airline and enjoy painting and video editing as a second full time job! | |