Greg
Lashmar
Artist
I live on the beautiful North Essex coast at Walton on the Naze, just moments from the sea. There are sandy beaches, hundreds of beach huts and the Hamford Backwaters, and I get so much inspiration from my local surroundings.
Working primarily in watercolour, coloured pencil and pen & wash my work takes in a wide variety of subjects; from animal portraits, landscapes, seascapes, village and town scenes, to the occasional portrait too.
Mostly self-taught, I studied graphic design, but the course didn’t involve much ‘fine art’, instead concentrating on creating strong visuals, but relying on art technology and fledgling computer design software. However, I have always had a strong artistic, practical and creative urge. I was a theatrical costumier for 15 years, designing and making hundreds of costumes every year.
Serious illness made me re-think my life a couple of years ago and it was then I realised creating art was what I really enjoyed and seemed to be rather successful at. I now have a job which I can’t wait to start and delay finishing.
My Illustrative Style
I have developed an illustrative style using pen and wash techniques, which encompasses the best of watercolour practices with the detail afforded by the use of pen work. Some of my coloured pencil work is realistic in it’s colours and textures, and even bordering on photo-realistic.
Greg Lashmar
Greg Lashmar, artist, photographer, dog-walker, husband, son, brother, uncle, grandad.
Jasper
Jasper is a cocker spaniel, working type, which means he’s always on the lookout for fox poo, dead seagulls and food from bins.
Margaret Lashmar
Mags Lashmar is a published author, who is now busily typing away on her third book, a family saga set in the mid 19th Century.
My Story
At secondary school I studied graphic design to A-level standard and gained a good grade, but the course didn’t involve much ‘fine art’ – instead concentrating on creating strong visuals, but relying on art technology and fledgling computer design software. However I have always had a strong creative urge, unsurprising when both of my parents also had creative flair in art, textiles and cabinet-making.
For about 15 years my wife and I ran a theatrical costumiers, where I designed and made theatre costumes for innumerable productions and shows.
In late 2016 my mental health began to show signs of strain and I turned back to art, attending a tutor-friend’s local workshop for what I thought may be a tortuous day holding a paintbrush, but a day to myself, to rest my busy mind. I followed the instructions she gave me and was happy but not overjoyed with what I had painted…until I stood up! I had created something wonderful, which hangs on my wall to this day, and every day I thank goodness I went to that workshop. I now have a job which I can’t wait to start and delay finishing, I love it that much!