Biography
Peter is a self taught artist living in South Wales. He turned professional in 2003 after a twenty year career in structural engineering. His main medium is pure watercolour with the luminosity of the medium given full prominence. Very much a traditionalist, Peter feels it is the act of being in front of the subject and responding with all one's emotion, senses and verve that drives the need to paint. An awe and fascination with the natural environment felt as a child has been sustained throughout his life and is reflected in the coastal and landscape aspects of his work. Of late this wonderment has been directed at the town and city environment.Why Watercolour ?
It is the translucency of the medium that first attracted me to watercolour. Oil looked so heavy and labored in comparison. Attaining the transparent glow of a watercolour painted in the traditional manner is so demanding and addictive that it has kept me busy for some twenty years now. The further you get , the further there is to go. Its an absolute tightrope walk. You have to draw with confidence because too much rubbing out will damage the paper. You have a finite time in which to apply the washes of colour because it will dry in minuets or even seconds depending on such factors as air temperature, wind etc. and you must apply as few layers of paint as possible in as few brush stokes as possible. Its utter madness and yet despite the relative breeze of mixed media, acrylics and oils, there is still a die hard band of masochists who still paint in pure warercolour. Why ? Because the nature of the medium demands your all. It is so exhilarating and utterly absorbing. The painting process will last no more than an hour and a half at the most . Each passage, each brush stoke must count. One mistake and all will be lost . There is a high level of craft and emotion involved in pure watercolour.
And even though you may fail more than you win, you still remain addicted, and as you retreat back home you can almost feel the ghosts of Wesson, Merriot and Cotman smiling over your shoulder.