Alan has enjoyed painting and drawing since childhood, first studying watercolour painting under A. Nikolsky at the age of twelve. He almost decided on a career in art, but elected to join the Royal Navy instead, completing that career as a Commander OBE after 35 years in 1993.

He resumed serious part-time study of art in 1979 with a course of life and portrait oil painting in Oslo, Norway and still finds the human face and form the most interesting subject.

However, he also enjoys painting and drawing animals, buildings and landscapes in various media and he enjoys amusing friends with cartoons. In recent years, he has painted several miniatures, including portraits and other subjects.

He continues to study painting and drawing and has taken courses in various schools, including St Martins School of Art in London, courses in Portsmouth and Edinburgh, with Bridget Woods of Chichester, Eileen Gardner at Glenrothes and Heather Holley at Chittoe in Wiltshire.

Alan has had steady success with commissions for portraits, animal portraits, watercolours of buildings and ships, various commercial illustrations, children's murals, cartoons, notelets, letterheads and greeting card designs.

  Tosca & Tyrley

He has illustrated childrens' books, including two about "Whinchat", an Optimist dinghy, published by OPUS.

Nowadays, he teaches art to Further Education classes and at Old Peoples' homes, as well as privately to individual children.

Commissions accepted in:
Watercolour, Pastel, Oils, Pen & Ink, and Pencil.