About

I was born in Penzance, a small town in Cornwall on the very south-west tip of England. My childhood was one of simple pleasures - heavily influenced by the sea and coast; lying on beaches, climbing over rocks to reach the deepest rock pool or deserted cove - it isn’t hard to imagine why I wanted to be an artist, after all the natural beauty of the area and it’s wildlife had inspired countless artists over the years.

In 1991 I graduated from Falmouth School of Art & Design with a Higher Diploma in Illustration - a qualification gained after completing a Diploma in Technical Illustration. All the tutors were successful freelance artists in their own right and four years under their wing had given me an invaluable grounding in all aspects of drawing and painting. During my final year I had work exhibited in galleries in London and won second place in the 1990 Readers Digest Young Illustrators’ Competition - an annual nationwide event open to all full-time students and artists in their first year as professionals. Proud of my success I threw myself into painting, selling work regularly at local galleries.

After leaving art college I freelanced as a book illustrator until 1994 when I started work as a graphic designer - a career that has so far taken me to Hampshire, Somerset, Lincolnshire and, for 10 years, the stunning Moray Firth in north-east Scotland. While in Scotland I sold work regularly through a successful local gallery yet, despite living near the sea, always felt a longing to return to Cornwall. In 2010 I managed just that and now, back living and working in the area I love, I paint as much as possible and value immensely any time I spend at the easel.

Subject matter has always determined which media I use - watercolours, gouache, acrylics, oils - each lend their own qualities to a painting. Recently, I have been hooked on the thick, malleable texture of oil. I love the atmospheric quality achievable with this medium - I can be much more expressive, pushing aside the constraints of my technical background. I enjoy painting, though, in all its forms, and harbour ambitions of one day owning a gallery overlooking the sea - forever inspired by its unrivalled energy and beauty.

Commissions of any subject matter are always welcome, so why not contact me now to discuss your ideas for your very own bespoke piece of artwork. Jez Semmens