Alan Ingham remains one of the UK's most beloved watercolour artists, who effortlessly captured Britain’s rural landscape and brought pleasure to generations. Some twenty years after his passing, he is still widely collected across his limited editions, original art and book publications.
Alan Ingham's (1932-2002) interests always included both drawing and painting but for much of his ear
Alan Ingham remains one of the UK's most beloved watercolour artists, who effortlessly captured Britain’s rural landscape and brought pleasure to generations. Some twenty years after his passing, he is still widely collected across his limited editions, original art and book publications.
Alan Ingham's (1932-2002) interests always included both drawing and painting but for much of his early years, this blended into the background of his busy life.
At the tender age of thirteen, Alan left his home in Yorkshire to join the Royal Navy at the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), Dartmouth. Soon he majored in hydrographic surveying (graph doing). This led to him travelling around the world, leaving little room for the creation of a family life but rewarding him with the hand of a cartographer and highly skilled eye of a surveyor. However, longing to return ‘home’ would soon determine the direction of rest of his life.
In his thirties, he left the Navy behind him and started using their experience to educate students to become the hope of success in the oil and gas extraction. After writing two educational textbooks for the course, the painting once again became an important part of the artist recently found free time.
By the end of the 1970s his watercolours were widely being reproduced on calendars and greeting cards, so his art became even more popular in the after this nationwide exposure.
1984 was a key year for Alan, he retired from his teaching duties and along with his wife Rose, moved to Gloucestershire to become a full-time artist. His life saw frequent trips to gather material for future artworks and long periods in his study. The old slogan from the book "Not a single day too long, no work too hard" still valid, but now more than ever, held a certain pleasure and joy that was tested only briefly before.
Success for Alan came in many forms during his lifetime, with numerous awards and achievements and the 1st February 1996 saw the publication of the hugely successful book: ‘Under A Watercolour Sky' - with sales unpreceddented for a High Street gallery artist at the time.
His success continues posthumously, with Alan's limited editions still being enjoyed and collected today, especially his geographical Portfolios of limited editions, which capture the character and uniqueness of famous regions of the UK.
His originals numbering more than 1200, are in private and corporate collections worldwide, as are countless 1000s of his open and limited edition prints; new art collectors continue to discover and follow his outstanding catalogue of artworks that have depicted the length and breadth of the United Kingdom.
On the 1st September 2004, a posthumous retrospective hardback book was released called 'Savour The Moment, The Life And Work Of Alan Ingham.'
