Bob Biggart

Biography

I'm an amateur artist who started to paint in watercolours about 1990, when I found that the watercolours I admired in galleries were way beyond my price range. My thinking was that in time I might be able to produce paintings that I could hang on my wall at home, and be happy with. At the time, I very much admired the work of diverse painters such as John Blockley, Alan Simpson, Christopher Hollick and Alwyn Crawshaw. I didn't have the internet, and so devoured as much teaching information as I could from art books, then video and DVD. I remain very indebted to Alwyn for his publications and DVD/TV advice. For someone who couldn't afford private tuition, he really set me on the path to painting reasonable quality work. Nowadays, Yorkshire painters David Curtis and Paul Talbot-Greaves, London based Ian Sidaway, and the Devon painters, Ray Balkwill, and Richard Thorn have been those whose work I have enjoyed. I myself am a committed Christian, and marvel at the wonders I see in the countryside and other landscape and seascape views around me. It makes me want to get out my sketching materials and use my poor photography skills to get back home and try to capture what I've seen in a painting. I tend to be a landscape painter, and enjoy trying to paint wildlife as well..the slower they move the better! Most of my work is done at home, as I am a full time carer for my wife who has Parkinson's disease. Painting is one of those things that I can do, and be around when help is needed. She is the number one person I go to to get an honest opinion on my latest creation...sometimes I think she's a bit too "Honest", but usually she's fair! So that's a brief bit of biography. I'm grateful to Colin, a friend who encouraged me to use the facility that "Painters-online" offer. Also, thank you to "The Artist" magazine and to those whose contributions have helped me through the articles in that excellent publication.