Artistic Horizons

The Beginning

Born in 1954, I have lived in Cornwall ever since, working as a fabricator or welder in ship-repair, yacht construction, tin mines and classic car reproduction.

Having given up work, due to ill health, I looked for something constructive and rewarding to do with my time. I had little interest in art, other than the work of an uncle of mine, up to this time, but started sketching and dot drawing (pointillism).

Having seen Alwyn Crawshaw on TV, I bought a few brushes and oil paints and started painting on hardboard, as I had little money for canvasses. I then started bonding material onto board using PVA, and primed it. This gave a better surface on which to paint. I enjoyed painting landscapes, but what I really wanted to do was capture the unspoilt beauty of the stunning Cornish coast, around which I had spent many hours angling over the years.

It was by chance, on a visit to the local library to get books for my children, that I saw videos by SAA advisory panellist E John Robinson, on marine painting in oils. I borrowed them for a while and watched them many many times.

I continued painting for about five years, for as many hours as I could, and on many occasions was tempted to give up, as I had not realised the complexities of painting the sea.

In October 1999 I joined the SAA and entered their monthly New Members' Paint a Postcard Competition. I was surprised and shocked to see my entry published in the following issue of Paint.

From there I was encouraged to work toward the international art event in Aldershot 2000. I sent off four pieces of work and was delighted to have been awarded a 'highly commended' for Reflections and Moonshadows and Best Amateur in the Seascape Category for Cornish Moonshine on the Rocks. It was far more than I could have wished for and gave me a boost of confidence at a time when I had very little of it.

The SAA gave me constant encouragement as did my family, and that is what prevented me from giving up. The fourth painting was not returned in the post and on phoning the SAA I was told it had been selected as a finalist for the Artist of the Year Competition to be judged at the Artist and Illustrator Show at Olympia.

I had a phone call from Nicky Applewhite of the SAA to say that I had won. I honestly thought they were referring to the Amateur in the Seascape section. I couldn't comprehend and still find it hard to accept that I had won the Artist of the Year Award 2000 for my painting 'Cauldron'.

I was asked to be in London on the following day for the presentation of the award. I tried to find words to express my gratitude and to explain to them that my finances wouldn't enable me to be at the show. I sat weighing up my situation. I had just been told that I had been voted Artist of the Year, but couldn't draw even a fiver from the bank. What irony. I then had another call from the SAA, saying 'don't worry, jump on a train and we'll pay' and to phone them back to confirm my arrival time. The earliest train the next morning from Cornwall would not get me to London in time so I would have to leave that afternoon and 'doss down' at Paddington Station until the next morning. I phoned the SAA back to let them know of my intentions. Again, they phoned me to say they had arranged a room for me in the hotel they were all staying in.

The next morning I had the privilege to meet the SAA staff over breakfast. Their relaxed humour helped to put me at ease. We all piled into a taxi and soon arrived at Olympia. The presentation was an experience that I will never forget. John Hope-Hawkins gave me some very useful and valuable information and advice on the way ahead for me. I was presented with a superb glass trophy, £1.000 prize money from the SAA, art materials of my choice from Daler-Rowney, books of my choice from Search Press and a thousand postcards of my winning painting 'Cauldron' from The Postcard Company, Northern Ireland.

Last year I entered again with an oil painting titled 'Atlantic Symphony', never expecting to achieve anything, but I just wanted to take part as a 'thank you' to the SAA as I owe so much to them. I was amazed to be awarded Best Amateur in the seascape section and to also win the public vote for their favourite painting in the show.

Last September I realised my dream of becoming a Professional Artist and my work is on sale in some leading West Country Galleries including, Mid Cornwall Gallery near St Austell, Tregony Gallery on the Roseland Peninsula, The Crows Nest Cadgwith on the Lizard Peninsula, the Roundhouse Sennen Cove, Turn of the Tide Teignmouth, Devon, the Barbican Gallery Plymouth, Decon and the Fowey River Gallery, Cornwall.

Looking to the future, I would like to travel and paint the varied coasts of other countries, which would be a great new experience! I would also like to pass on some of the things that I have learn, and encourage other would-be marine artists to learn to paint via workshops and demonstrations.

If asked for advice on taking up art I would say, do it for the love of it. Paint the subject you have a real passion for. Expect and accept comments like 'that's nice, what is it?' and, of course be prepared to accept criticism, but, DON’T GIVE UP! Last but not least, join the SAA as they truly live up to their motto to 'Inform, Encourage and Inspire'.

If you would like to find out more about Roy's work, please call him on
Tel: 01392 88 1996

First Difficulties

To get into a position to view a rough sea at its greatest visual impact puts you in danger of becoming an unwilling part of the scene you are wishing to capture on canvas! Cameras don't like salt spray and short of sitting at an easel clad in a wetsuit, mask and snorkel, at the bast of a cliff, I find that working from memory is my most reliable method.

The perspective of the sea is by no means as simple as I had imagined. Compostion can be restrictive. For instance, a tree can be added or left out to balance a landscape. But with the sea, waves and rockspills and foam patterns must all have a meaning in relation to each other. It must have a feeling of movement and must tell a story of what has happened before and after the moment.

Reflections off the water, rocks and wet sand can be complicated in conjunction with light and shade. There is also the atmosphere to consider so it is certainly a challenging, and at times a mind blowing subject. It is like the circus plate-spinning act keeping all of these aspects going at once and always striving to add another detail.

I wanted to achieve a finished article by designing, and making my own picture frames, and began by experimenting with the Victorian techniques of a plaster facing on a plain wood backing frame. After hours of experimenting I realised that the process was not economically viable and they weighed a ton! These frames were discarded and now gather dust under my bed. A very compentant local company, Eat Art, now does my framing!

Hooray for the SAA!

In October 1999 I joined the SAA and entered their monthly New Members' Paint a Postcard Competition. I was surprised and shocked to see my entry published in the following issue of Paint.

Stop Press!

Since Writing this article, Roy Lang has gone on to win the Artist of the Year 2002 - Congratulations Roy!

When asked his feelings on winning the prize for the second time, Roy said "It was a great shock and honour to win again, and a great privilage to meet Margaret Evans, Linda Quelch and all the SAA team again".