I have been drawing, sketching, making prints and painting virtually all my life (most regularly for the annual Eynon Christmas card). Beyond “A level” Art, at grammar school in the UK, I had no formal training, so these initial years of watercolour painting have been something of an adventure in trial and error—and imitation.

The credit for my continuing to paint throughout my life goes to a most remarkable high school teacher—Robert Whitmore. His daughter, Sue Whitmore—herself an artist—wrote, “he regarded himself primarily as an artist, but like any other committed teacher, the profession sapped much of the energy he needed for his own work.” I find that somewhat disheartening. I consider myself—as one of the countless students who left Kilburn Grammar School with a life-long appreciation of art and a skill set outside my chosen career—to be the beneficiary of a great teacher, rather than a contributor to an artist’s career frustrations. Robert Whitmore was the first real artist I had met. He took great delight in developing the talents of others, for which I am extremely grateful.

The second “real artist” I encountered, in the flesh, so to speak, is Janet Quintrell Treloar, now a renowned Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society. In the late 70s Janet was part of the expatriate community in Stavanger, Norway, and developing her painting career. Her skill, talents and friendship inspired— and intimidated—me; she seems to create exquisite watercolours with such consummate ease! I have acquired a significant number of her paintings over the years.

In the late 70s I studies printmaking for 2 years at Evanston College of Art and Alberta College of Art and design. After decades of me threatening to attempt watercolours, my wife, Joyce, enrolled me in a watercolour basics class with David Cheney, a Calgary based artist. It proved to be one of the most wonderful gifts ever.

Quite unintentionally at first—but then quite consciously, as did the old masters—I experimented with and appropriated many other artists’ styles: Walter J. Phillips, John Singer Sargent, Homer Winslow, Illingworth Kerr, Tony Onley, Takao Tanabe, Janet Q. Treloar, Brent Laycock, and many others.

For several years recently, I benefited from studio sessions with Jack Rigaux, at his East Slope Studio in Calgary. (His two-minute sketch of me at work in his studio—using a 2-inch brush and a torn scrap of watercolour paper—is included in this exhibition). Jack—like Mr. Whitmore many years ago—forced me out of my comfort zone. He moved me beyond landscapes and rocks—though, as a geologist, they remain the subject matter of most of my work—into a looser style, with larger brushes, bolder colours, and bigger images.

The works on show today are all from this period of experimenting and exploring with various approaches. So with Jack as a conscience—voice in my ear and eyes peering over my shoulder—I eagerly anticipate being able to devote more time to exploring and developing my own style.

I think I am almost there!

Dedicated to
Robert Whitmore (1908-1993)
“talented artist, inspiring teacher”