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About my work
Motivation and inspiration - "There are only two types of art, Ranting and Navel-gazing"
So, what inspires me to paint? What inspires me to do anything creative? I suppose, because it has to be done. With most of me Sea pieces, I'm trying to capturea spark, a moment of something, and incident. I don't just have ships or people lyinground the painting as furniture. There's always a reason. Something is happening.I've always been fascinated by the sea as a place to live, and work, and it is this interactionbetween humanity and the sea which gets me going. I try to freeze a moment. Its the samewith portraiture, life drawing, anything. To try and hold a living moment still forever is the most difficult thing. I also like my art to be enigmatic, and not so obvious.The big problem with this is that people tend to look at a work and go "Oh, a ship... How nice.""audience engagement" is always a problem. I suppose this is because people tend to onlysee the subject matter and switch off, or if they are fans, say "oh, a frigate... How nice", whichmeans that they are pleasantly disposed to the subject, but don't get involved.Though I seem to be grouching, its the same for all artists. I'm sure loads of people say"Oh look, a Shark in a tank of Formaldehyde... How nice."Do I want to "comment on the alienation inherent in post-modern society caused by the eruption of underclass angst among the middle classes"? No.I want people to stop. To consider the moment, to be touched by something.The sea does it for me, and I try to pass this on. I suppose I'm painting icons, or objectsfor some sort of spiritual contemplation, to take people out of themselves for a moment.I'm inviting them to come into my universe, and I try to make my universe an invigoratingplace to be. I'm navel-gazing, but having a very very quiet rant at the same time.
About my WORK   FAQ  Legal & Credits
About me
A C.V. of sorts...
I've been 'mark-making' all my life. I had the usual school trophies for art, which my motherstill keeps on the sideboard. At the age of 18, the Royal Navy and I stared at each otherover the polished mahogany table of the Admiralty Interview Board, and I decided I really wanted to be an artist, and not Captain Ericson.Painting all the while, and mainly self-taught, I spent fruitless years in Plymouth in themistaken pursuit of a degree in Business Studies, learned and then taught Jiu Jitsu in several cities, got back into a maritime lifestyle (of sorts) as a sailmaker for five years.Then, taking myself more seriously, I went off to college again. This time, PortsmouthUniversity, for three frustrating years with only an honours degree in Illustration to showfor it. Not being disposed to kowtow to the trends of contemporary thought adhered to by my tutors, I spent the next few years slumming it in DTP and Graphic Design, beforeone interfering chief executive too many finally brought me to my senses. (I suppose I ought to thank him, but that would only increase his ego.)So here we are. If I do anything well in this world, I do this. All the images and work you see on this site are just the start. I've painted steadily, but not enough over the last 20years. I've shown work sporadically and had it bought enthusiastically, but I've never worked in commercial quantity until now.I've travelled far enough to know, that what I do may not be very important to therest of the world, but its important to me. And thats enough. The last 20 years has got me to this point. The next 20 may see me back spendingmore time on the water again, and certainly more time in the studio.
If I need to do anything more that I don't donow, its sailing. And painting. So I recommend you to enjoy what you see here. My more contemporary works, and ideas for installations, and other "Heresies", lie mainly in my sketchbooks. You won't see them here, but you may see them elsewhere soon...And finally, the image of me here is another disguise, but like all disguises, shows a littletruth (if not a little Poseur)

 

About my WORK

About Me

Legal & Credits

 Frequently Asked Questions  "Ephemeris" of technical stuff

Favourite Paint Media?Mmm. Difficult one this. Watercolour/Gouache is better for very detailed images, oils for the surface finish, and pastels for immediate effect and fluidity. "Horses for Courses".Favourite Ground?Same as above. The usual combinations work well. I prefer board for oils and someacrylic work, as I can build up a more textured surface (see 'Port Erin'), and hardboardis as good as Canvas. The whole "oil on canvas" thing is a relic of the past and reallyjust snobbery. The preparation of the surface is the main thing.Favourite Subject?Well, I used to love Marine subjects from my childhood, but now I feel fairly diverse inin my taste. I'm happy to paint anything that interests me.Do you only do ships?Only on this website. I have varied artistic interests, and some don't fit neatly together.See the Projects page for further info. I've used most media from the more traditionalfeatured here to some multimedia and DTP. This site is mainly for the "traditional" media, butthere will be links to more Contemporary ideas later, when "PROJECT X" gets goingWhich do you prefer, paint or computer graphics?It's a lot 'easier' to do graphics and such on computer, but the whole process loses avital ingredient when the direct contact with the medium is lost. By 'easier', I mean withall the graphics packages, you get 'layers' and 'undo' features, but the satisfaction and the'triumph' isn't there. Another big problem, the IT kit tends to get in the way, and I getfed up spending time arsing about being a 'techie' for myself, rather than getting on withthe creativity.You paint the 'Espanola' rather a lot....Well, I spend most of my sailing time on her, at present. We go places and do things together, have adventures. She is also a very good looking boat, and is far sexier thanjust about all the 'white plastic yachts' that litter the coasts of the world.Why don't you paint Edwardian Racing yachts or Thames Barges?Three reasons: a) Loads of people do these better than me, because,b) They bore me. (I should explain that very few of the large racing yachts was ever allowed out to play in winds over Force 4-5, and as such, I find the dear little things a bit of a tame subject.)c) I'd rather paint something more challenging, with a "chewier" story.Isn't Life drawing class an excuse for ogling naked women?Just up the road, the Marines run about on Woodbury common, through small tunnels flooredwith broken stone, and crawl underwater in flooded drainage pipes. This is to practice beinga "Marine". Artists have to do the equivalent. Think of Life Drawing class as an "assault coursefor artists" and thats about right.(Thought I sometimes question the motives of the old man in the corner who just draws stick figures...)Why so many 18th century ships?I've always lived by the sea, in a couple of naval towns. As a boy I became very fond of the Richard Bolitho novels by Alexander Kent (Douglas Reeman), but mainly for the superb coverspainted by Chris Mayger, which really inspired me to start painting. A lot of my early work wasa concious copying of his technique, but though I've developed since, marine painting will always be my first love.Whats easier to paint, the sea or people?People. They just sit there and chat to you. The sea is far more complex a subject. It won't book a appointment, it won't follow instructions to hold a pose, and is far more difficult to getright. The whole environment has a sensuality shared with life drawing, but contains far moreraw power, which is very very difficult to convey in a static medium.

This website was originally designed to showcase my work, and mainly my "traditional"subject matter only, though it will hopefully expand to show others' work (and other work of mine) at a later date. My more contemporary ideas will have to waitfor another site.Also, as this site is still being built, please be patient if some of the links are crankyor non existent - these will be fixed shortly, especially if you tell me about them!First, I hope you enjoy all the images you see here. If you want to use any of themas wallpaper or background images for your monitor screen, help yourself. However, all rights to the images remains with me, and no image may be used for any commercial use without my permission in writing. I retain the copyright.Enough legality! If you like what I do, and agree with why I do it, send me an email. I don't have much truck with guestbooks. If you think I'm wasting my time, send that in too! Stand up for your opinions.I would like to thank:Mal Bailey for all his suggestions and technical tweaking of the site. Cheers Mal.Vic Cornell, for being big and hairy, and just because.Bel for tea & patience, and Fergus for letting me use his bedroom.This site will evolve as the work progresses. Any questions - mail me.Once again, enjoy!