David Bellamy

p>Born in Pembroke, David travels widely in search of subjects to paint and is especially fascinated by mountains, the Arctic in its various moods, and desert scenery in the Middle East. In his search for subjects to paint he has fallen over a crocodile in Kenya, sketched on dog-sledges in Greenland, drawn moonlight scenes on a glacier in his underwear and taught Maasai warriors to sketch in Tanzania.

His paintings are mainly in watercolour, and all done from first-hand experience, his original sketches often showing signs of being done in pouring rain, the washes frozen into intricate patterns, mud-spattered, and even one or two blood-stained. He has paintings in the collections of mountaineers Sir Chris Bonington and Doug Scott, broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and the author Bill Bryson, among others.

A full time artist and author, David has written twenty books illustrated by his paintings, with several translated into other languages, including David Bellamy’s Arctic Light, published by Search Press. Eight films on watercolour painting by David have been produced by APV Films of Chipping Norton, and he has also made three DVDs on his Arctic adventures in Greenland and Svalbard. He writes for Leisure Painter magazine and the outdoors press, and also runs watercolour courses and demonstrates to art societies.

Through his painting and writing he endeavours to bring about a greater awareness of the threats to the natural environment. David has been featured on radio and television in numerous programmes both painting and conservation roles, including his own series on HTV(Wales).