Welcome to Drake Art
My name is Steve Drake, and I am an artist living in West Sussex.
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Click the links below to jump to sections and learn more about my history and interests, or scroll on the read the full story.
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My History
I studied Fine Art at Chichester University as a mature student, gaining my degree in 2007 while looking after my family and working as a full-time chef!
At university, I specialised in sculpture, but I’ve always had a passion for colour. It’s only in recent years that I’ve ventured into painting and found a deep love for watercolour.
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Love of watercolour
In the past I had steered away from watercolour, with its unforgiving nature, and now find myself relishing the challenge!
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I'll be honest, I find watercolour a minefield of technique, almost impossible to rectify mistakes, but it's a challenge I welcome. So, I have dedicated the last few years to developing my skills in this medium; finding great satisfaction through watercolour painting.
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My inspiration
Having lived in the historic and picturesque town of Arundel for over twenty years, I am inspired daily by my surroundings.
I am fortunate to have a wonderfully vivid garden at home and living here, surrounded by such a rich, colourful, vibrant intensity just outside the window, compelling subjects are always at hand.
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In my work as a chef, I am continuously developing new recipes, and now my passion for cooking is transitioning into my art too!
This year I have been motivated to try new things in both professions, and have organically found myself incorporating my ingredients into my art. I find fish, shellfish, fresh vegetables, herbs and spices fascinating to paint and enjoy bringing these natural subjects to life through my watercolour paintings.
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What art means to me
As the seasons change, I try to grasp the essence of what it means to me, as an artist; why I am trying to capture the intense beauty of the living fauna and flora around me.
Is it just to be able to copy images in front of my eyes, or is it a quest to try and formulate these shapes and objects into something that has an essence? It's these questions that play as I pick up the paintbrush and begin to see the piece come together in front of me.
I am highly motivated and enjoy capturing my subject on canvas, and for others to appreciate and to take pleasure from too.
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Creating art for others
I am a firm believer that art should be enjoyed by all, and hope you will find my work as interesting and engaging as I do.
I paint small and large pieces, inspired by my daily life and local surroundings, as well as commissioned pieces depicting a variety of subjects and personalities.
In the past, these have included portraits, natural landscapes, and even a large-scale map of the world hand-painted, in watercolour, directly onto a restaurant wall!
Please contact me directly for further information on available pieces, prints, and commissioned work at any time.
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Thank you