Bob Tucker

Bob was born in Newton Abbot, in South Devon, in 1951 andI lives near Okehampton with his wife Joy. They have four grown-up children. Bob works in his studio in the garden of his home.

"Drawing and painting were always a passion from as early as my primary school years. I started painting full time at the age of 21. I did not have any formal art training, preferring to teach myself and benefiting from the advice of other artists. Important influences include Turner, Constable and the French Impressionists."

"All of my paintings are oils. I have studied the various techniques used by the old masters – for example, the use of a single-tone under-painting – but recently have reverted to starting a painting with a thin colour wash with a view to producing more vibrant colours."

"Dartmoor and Devon coastal scenes are the main focus of my work, although over the years I have painted a variety of subjects. I have drawn inspiration from early experiences as a child, such as camping on the moor and regular visits to the coast. I continue to spend much time in these places, looking for new ways to capture the atmosphere in my paintings while portraying the features of the landscape accurately."

"The ultimate accolade for me is for someone to look at a painting and say that it is as if they are really there, feeling the breeze on their face, with the scent of the moor or the sea air around them."