LEECH, Raymond

1949 - ?

Raymond Ian Leech was born at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1949, son of Gordon William Leech (12 July 1911-18 May 1960), a bricklayer's foreman, and his wife Elsie Rose née Southgate (7 April 1914-1966), who married at Great Yarmouth in 1933. Ray was educated at Edward Worledge School and Alderman Leach High School, both in Great Yarmouth, and studied at Great Yarmouth College of Art 1965-1969 being influenced to take up an artistic career by his father, who taught him to draw. In particular, he was also inspired by the art, prints and posters of the Newlyn School, the French impressionists, Degas, Renoir, and Toulouse Lautrec. Originally, he made his living in graphic design, but demand for his original art grew so he made the decision to become a full-time professional artist. A landscape and seascape artist in oil and watercolour, also a partner in a design illustration studio in Norwich. A member of the Institute of East Anglian Artists, the Norwich Art Circle and in 1986 exhibited for the first time at the Royal Society of Marine Artists at the Mall Galleries in London, where he won the Charles Pears prize for the best non-member’s work and the following year was elected a full member of the Society. He has also exhibited in the provinces, London, Spain, New Zealand, France, South Africa, and America and has twice been a finalist in the Hunting Group painting awards and received numerous commissions notably from the Sultan of Oman. His original artworks are held in many private collections, and he lived at 1 The Staithe, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk.

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Works by This Artist