Hi, I am Chris, and I have been a full-time professional artist for 19 years. My home and studio are situated in the beautiful village of Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, and it is from here that I create most of my work. I specialise in custom landscape painting commissions across Wales, alongside painting wildlife art and pet portraits.
Growing up in Wales...
I grew up on a small dairy farm in rural West Wales, which instilled in me an early interest in wildlife, nature, and the outdoors. Much of my childhood was spent roaming the fields and woodlands—drawing, sketching, and painting anything that would stay still long enough. After leaving school, I completed a plumbing apprenticeship and worked as a plumber and heating engineer in Swindon, Wiltshire, for four years.
Royal Navy...
In my early twenties, seeking more challenge and adventure, I joined the Armed Forces and served as a marine engineer in the Royal Navy for five years. The Navy offered me everything I was looking for: an adventurous, active lifestyle, friends for life, resilience, and the ability to handle myself in any situation. Unfortunately, during my service, I developed severe rheumatoid arthritis. This cut short my naval career and resulted in my medical discharge from the Armed Forces in the late 1990s.
Heading down under...
With my arthritis under control and my quest for adventure still burning bright, I bought a plane ticket with my final Royal Navy paycheque, grabbed my rucksack, and set off halfway around the world to explore New Zealand. Though I originally planned to stay for just a one-year working holiday, one year led to two, and then to three. I ended up living south of the equator on and off for the next six years, splitting my time between New Zealand and Australia.
Studying art...
It was while living in Melbourne, Australia, that I once again made time to follow my passion for art, studying creative and figurative drawing at the CAE. During the early 2000s, art became the central driving force in my life that it is today. In 2004, I made the decision to move back to the UK to set up a home studio and become a full-time professional artist.
Fulltime artist...
I now live in the beautiful village of Cilgerran, in north Pembrokeshire, where my home studio and gallery are situated. This is where I do most of my painting, and clients are always welcome to view and purchase artwork. If you would like to browse the gallery in person, please get in touch to arrange a studio visit.
My paintings are usually developed from small oil studies painted out in the field across West Wales using a pochade box, or from photographs taken by myself or my clients.
I am an active member of the Cardigan Art Society and exhibit my work in Cardigan four times a year. In recent years, my work has been exhibited across most of West Wales’ larger towns—including Aberystwyth, Tenby, Haverfordwest, Llandysul, Pembroke Dock, and Milford Haven—as well as at the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells. In 2008, my work was also selected for exhibition at the renowned Patchings Festival in Nottingham.
Working with Berghaus...
In 2018, I was commissioned by the outdoor clothing brand Berghaus to produce original artwork for their #TimeToGetOut advertising campaign. You can read more about my collaboration with Berghaus here.
Feel free to take a look inside my art studio here.
Best wishes
Chris
