West Norfolk Artists Association

Denis Pickles

Paintings

Artist's Statement

Denis Pickles is a keen amateur artist with a lifelong interest in painting and drawing. Although largely self taught, he has benefitted by working with and attending courses run by a number of eminent professional artists in the UK and in America. Watercolour is his favoured medium often used together with ink - a technique picked up from Edward Wesson, but he also uses acrylics and very occasionally he has produced an etching - not an easy thing to do!

Although his interest in art goes back a long way (he still has in his possession a drawing dated September 1939) it was only when a career move brought him to East Anglia in 1968 and he joined the Wisbech Art Club that his latent interest was rekindled. It was about then that he first met up with Edward Wesson, John Yardley and Marylin Swift, the American Watercolorist who introduced him to Don Stone, Charlie Movalli and Betty Lou Schlemm and to the delights of painting in New England and on the magical island of Monhegan.

But it was his Art Teacher at Keighley Boys’ Grammar School, Harry Harpin, who he has to thank for his love of the sketch book. ‘Don’t waste the summer holiday. Get a sketch book. Get out on your bike and let me see what you’ve done when you come back in September’ He did and seventy years later he published a book using illustrations from the thirty odd sketch books he had filled since his retirement.

One firm friend made many years ago on a painting course at Philips House told Denis that you always meet the nicest people when you paint with them. He was right.

Qualifications: School Certificate Art - Distinction.

Achievements: Winning First Prize of £500 in a National Magazine Art Competition.

Proudest Moment : Running a workshop attended by HRH Prince Charles. (But only briefly!).

Contact this Artist

Email: denispickles25@gmail.com