I’ve been painting and creating art all my life. My formal art education actually ended at 15 after an art O level. However I have been influenced by many painters, from the impressionists, to my late aunt, artist Nan Heath and modern day painters like Joseph Zbukvic and Thomas Schaller. I had my own gallery for over 20 years on the Isles of Scilly, before *retiring” to Cornwall. I’ve exhibited on the continent and had solo exhibitions at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Scilly and, more recently, Bath. I still sell my work in Cornish galleries and via my online shop. I’m fascinated by light, colour and paint from life, in watercolours, though more recently I also use inks. For these, I don’t use brushes, painting with a dropper and water-spray, mixing on the paper as well as the palette. I love drawing, but prefer to use it as little as possible, painting freehand, freshly, as quickly as I can, to get the atmosphere and feel of the view. Though sometimes the detail takes over! Nothing comes close to the fluidity of watercolour, the way the pigments move on the paper and blend with each other. They are mostly unforgiving and you can’t be too precious, particularly outside. When it goes right, there’s nothing better. I’ve never found it relaxing, more frustrating, obsessive and lots of other words ending in “ive”! It is however one of the best things in life and I count myself fortunate to be able to do it. www.instagram.com/stephenfmorris/
