Born a stone’s throw from the seashore in 1943, Edward Vine grew up with the sights, sounds and scents of Weymouth, Dorset. His grandfather was Cox of the Lifeboat and his father worked on harbour maintenance, on – and under – the water. No surprise then that the young boy’s interest in drawing should lead him often to the subject matter so readily to hand.
A professional for over thirty years, Edward paints in watercolour, gouache, oil and acrylic – the latter being his favourite because he finds it so versatile. The pencil, however, is his indispensable companion. His home county remains his prime subject and inspiration. The goal is to capture natural beauty, light and atmosphere, which Dorset offers in abundance.
The Peter Hedley Gallery in Wareham hosted nine highly successful one-man shows of Edward’s work before Peter retired and the Gallery closed in 2011. Favourite commissions have included those from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds of their Reserves in the Poole Harbour area and his paintings are in homes all over the world.
He has exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London with the Royal Society of Marine Artists, where images of Studland and Poole Harbour have always been his first choice.
He feels privileged to have been Artist-in Residence for sixteen years until 2011 at “Max Gate”, Thomas Hardy’s Dorchester home, owned by the National Trust.
“Edward Vine’s Dorset” – a lavishly illustrated book was published by Halsgroves of Tiverton. This has now sold out, but copies do come up on Ebay now and then.