I spent my childhood in a small Suffolk Village, at the age of fifteen I joined the Royal Navy, serving for twelve years, during which I had two trips out to the Far East.

I discovered my interest in art while serving in the Royal Navy during a quiet middle watch crossing the Indian Ocean on the way out to the Far East. My duty during those small hours of the morning was to log teleprinter signals onto a perspex board using a chinagraph pencil!

This particular watch was very quiet, with no incoming messages to log in, so using the chinagraph I doodled out a portrait sketch of one of my shipmates on to the perspex surface, as you do! My pal was impressed with the likeness that I had achieved and encouraged me to pursue sketching further.

On reaching Singapore, I purchased an A3 sketchpad and charcoal sticks and spent my shore time in bars sketching folk. I never charged for my efforts but was usually offered a drink or two. I recall, on one occasion, checking into a hotel in Wellington, New Zealand, only having enough cash to fund my room for the weekend. My mates bought me sandwiches from the ship, and I spent the weekend site seeing and sketching folk in bars.

On leaving the Royal Navy, I successfully applied for a three year course at my local Art College in Portsmouth. Some of those sketches came in handy again! The first year being spent on a foundation course in drawing; I remember sitting in a circle with my colleagues listening to ‘A Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M’ whilst sketching the relative forms of various cardboard boxes!

… my college coat

I went on to specialise in Graphic Design. In the final year, we all had to write a dissertation; as a subject, I opted for ‘The History of Chinese Landscape Painting’, and you will find a revisited version here on my site.

Having completed my studies in Graphic Design, I spent five years teaching this subject to Youth Training Scheme Students before opening my own Graphic Design Studio ‘Lines Designs’ in 1988, where until 2015, we generated designs, artwork and print for a variety of clients here in Portsmouth and Hampshire.

… a sample christmas card

During these later years, I developed an interest in Watercolour Painting. Each Christmas, I would paint our Family Christmas Card, and you will find prints and cards from these original paintings available to purchase here. Perhaps my work became painstakingly detailed because I had never been trained as a fine artist but had been encouraged to develop strong observational skills.

It was to find freedom of expression that I launched into Chinese Brush Painting spurred on by my interest in all things oriental from my two commissions out in the Far East during my Naval days. I am a member of the U.K. Chinese Brush Painting Association and regularly attend a local group which meets in Lavant, just outside of Chichester.

… winter happiness

Now my attention is turning to nature, to flowers on our allotment and the beautiful countryside surrounding me in Hampshire, The New Forest and West Sussex. I hope to express and share my pursuits with you here, both in Water Colour and with the Chinese Brush.

… very Best Wishes

Ricardo

My Song … ‘Peace is a World Made Whole’ Expresses my thoughts about the world in which we live.