Artists and artwork

Ted Baker

I was born in the Brighton area, moved down to Fareham with my parents in 1938.  I have always been interested in painting pictures and can remember when I was at the junior school I was always good at coloured chalk drawing (I'm sure that's the only medium the school had during the war).  When I was about 18 and an apprentice in the aircraft industry I had a go at oil painting.  Liked the medium and have painted in oils ever since.

I joined the Fareham art group in 1986. Art really took over my life when I retired in 2002.  I work mainly in oils and attempt any subject but have a bias towards aviation.

Roger Cook

I started drawing and painting at school, with differing results, and then after leaving school I did nothing at all until the mid 1990s when I got a hankering to pick it up again just for my own pleasure. I felt I needed a bit of tuition and enrolled on some evening classes and was told I was wasting my time as I did not need any!

One day whilst at Popham Airfield in Hampshire I was talking to an artist who was displaying there and he said he was a member of Solent Aviation Art Society and gave me a number to call. I met our president at a local college where we both happened to be teaching.  From then on I went out on painting days and some were at places not normally open to the public.

Now I can say I have a reasonable standard and work mainly in acrylics, as I find them quite versatile.

Andrew Harris AGAvA

Andrew Harris was raised and educated in West Sussex.  Ast secondary school he first discovered an  interest in art. At college he began using oils and this medium has formed the backbone of his work ever since.

With a keen interest in aviation from a young age, it was inevitable that the two interests would combine to become his passion for aviation art. Heavily influenced by the work of Robert Taylor, his work has become increasingly popular with collectors, with numerous commissions and exhibitions at a host of venues.  These have included the Brooklands Museum and Tangmere Military Aviation Museum.  Andrew has held very successful solo exhibitions at Shoreham Airport and his first major exhibition "Icons of Flight" at Littlehampton Museum & Art Gallery.  Andrew's work has also been extensively featuresd in newspaper and magazine articles.

Charles Jacobson

Following a career in the diplomatic service and providing advice and support to British companies seeking to export their goods and services, I am now working as a history teacher and following my passion of enthusing students about the past and especially the role of aviation in modern history. SAAS has provided a perfect outlet for me to continue my love of aviation while also encouraging me to develop an equally strong passion for drawing and painting. Nothing can be better than joining link-minded enthusiasts for a sketching day at a local museum or aerodrome!

Peter J. Oldreive

Having a Grandfather and Father as commercial artists, it was only natural that I would carry on the tradition.  After leaving school with the appropriate GCSEs I went to Portsmouth College of Art and studied the Decorative Arts.  On leaving, I went freelance and the majority of my work was for breweries, mainly Whitbread which lasted for 37 years as a pub sign artist. I also work for the film industry, painting backgrops and murals. I have worked as far as Croatia to America.

Since retiring I have (or so I thought) time to paint pictures for pleasure, specialising in aircraft.

Alan Trussler

For Alan, drawing was a great interest from an early age. He started painting in oils in 1985 and expanded to include watercolour in 1987.  Since then he has continued to work in both media plus some pastel and acrylic work.

Alan is a self-taught artist whose journey over the past twenty years has embraced most of the problems that confront the amateur artist.  He has done a great deal of outdoor painting and is familiar with the challenges of the open air. A full range of subjects has been covered from traditional landscape to aviation and the sea.

His work has featured in exhibitions throughout Hampshire and clients include several abroad as far as Australia and the US.

David Lewis

I am an I.T. professional and a hobby painter.  Watercolours have been my main medium for the convenience of being able to carry a small kit and paint on holiday.

Since joining the society I have been helped and encouraged by the other members to improve my drawing skills and to try painting with acrylics.  Some of the results are in the gallery.

I enjoy the opportunities to paint as a group, discussing different approaches to the same subject and usually producing very different results.