During a career spanning 50 years, PAUL EVANS has painted thousands of stunning landscapes. He tells Sarah Edghill about his prolific work ethic and love of nature ▸
BORN AND BROUGHT Up in Sussex, Paul Evans did a foundation year at Eastbourne College of Art and Design, followed by a course in children’s book illustration and printmaking. He is now one of Britain’s most successful landscape artists and works in a variety of media, painting many of the same locations at different times of the year, capturing a unique sense of place, season and light. In 1988, he established a gallery in Alfriston, then moved to Suffolk four years later and, shortly afterwards, opened the Lavenham Contemporary Gallery, where his work is still displayed. Collectors throughout the world have acquired his paintings and more than 500 of his images have been used for greeting cards, calendars and limited-edition prints.
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As a child, I was obsessed with learning the name of every British bird and butterfly.
My parents and grandparents were all connected with the countryside and farming, and had detailed knowledge of the seasons, flora and fauna and nature. Much of that knowledge was passed to me and The Observer Book of Birds and various Ladybird books were my bibles for learning. Out on the South Downs and along the Sussex coast, I learnt to recognise birds by song and, when I was eight, I received a painting-by-numbers set at Christmas and began to draw birds. For several years, I would sit with three school friends in one of our parents’ kitchens during rainy school holidays, drawing birds.
At college I drew constantly, using Indian ink with a dip pen.
After leaving college my work evolved with the use of sepia ink, then with mixing watercolour. The next discovery was to mix gouache and Chinese White with ink. I then used variations and combinations of these with acrylics – all water-based.
My inspiration is totally from nature and being outside.
I have always worked en plein air. I will make numerous drawings and also small paintings to try and capture the spirit of a place. I’m fortunate to have a photographic memory but don’t ever rely on photographs. I love the challenge of working outside and, when you’re on the spot, a sense of that place comes across onto the paper that can’t happen in the studio. Nature also throws up special lighting effects in so many interesting and different ways. I only work on one painting at a
