Chris N Wood LSIAD PGCE

Painter | Printmaker | Educator
Portsmouth & Suffolk
Landscape & Maritime subjects in oil & watercolour
Coast weather light movement

Heritage and the Sea

For Chris N Wood, the sea is a matter of lineage. Born in 1952 to a Naval Officer and Master Mariner, Chris spent his childhood surrounded by yachting journals and the stories of his father, who skippered Thames Spritsail Barges and luxury private yachts across the Mediterranean and Baltic. This deep-rooted connection to the water is the cornerstone of his practice. Today, he continues this legacy not only through his art but by restoring his own 1938 classic wooden yacht—a project that serves as both a labour of love and a central inspiration for his upcoming exhibitions and publications.

Academic Foundation and Career Evolution
Chris’s formal journey began at age 16 at The Ipswich Art School, followed by postgraduate studies at UAL, Wimbledon College of Arts. His early professional life was defined by the rigorous demands of London design studios and a successful career as a freelance illustrator for leading publishers, represented by the renowned Bill Bowen-Davies of John Martin & Artists Ltd.

In a unique "sabbatical" during the 1980s, Chris’s maritime expertise led him into the marine industry, where he rose to become a Director of a chain of ship chandleries. Even then, his creative output never ceased; he regularly produced watercolours for Yachting World magazine. When the 1990s brought a return to full-time art, he launched Chris Wood Design, seamlessly bridging the gap between traditional paintbrush skills and the emerging digital tools of the era.

The Artist’s Practice: Draughtsmanship and Light
Best known for his maritime paintings, Chris works within the "pier head" tradition of ship portraiture while maintaining a profound fascination with the open sea. His work explores the fleeting nature of light and the shifting physical characteristics of water, alongside themes of landscape, natural history, and topography.

As a former illustrator, meticulous research and observational drawing remain the bedrock of his process. Whether executing a highly detailed oil on linen or a hand-pulled wood engraving, his work is characterised by "traditional craft skills meets modern vigour." His recent "Plein Air" series, developed in his Portsmouth garden, marks a shift toward bold graphic compositions and confident tones, reflecting a renewed energy in his long-standing relationship with the British landscape.

Artist Statement  

My work is rooted in close observation of the coast, the sea, and the changing light that shapes them. I am drawn to the energy of water — its structure, transparency, movement, and the way it constantly alters as light passes across it. These shifting conditions offer both challenge and inspiration, and I return to them again and again in oil and watercolour.

In oils, I often begin with a burnt orange grisaille or underpainting, which establishes tonal relationships and brings a living warmth to the surface. I value the traces this underlayer leaves behind, allowing vestiges of the process to remain visible in the final painting. For me, this creates vibration and luminosity, and gives the work a sense of depth and memory.

Watercolour, by contrast, asks for immediacy and spontaneity. I am interested in the freshness that can be achieved when the medium is handled with restraint, allowing light and atmosphere to remain open and uncluttered. Whether working in oil or watercolour, I aim to capture not only the appearance of a place, but its energy — the fleeting, physical feeling of sea, sky, weather, and tide.

Education and Community
A dedicated educator, Chris holds a PGCE from the University of Portsmouth and has served as a senior lecturer and academic leader in Further and Higher Education. Since 1995, he has been a pillar of the Southsea creative community, operating from Studio 3 at ArtSpace Portsmouth. For 30 years, he led the Experimental Life Drawing Workshop.

Collections and Memberships
Chris is a member of ArtSpace Portsmouth, the Ipswich Art Society, and the Hampshire Sculpture Trust. His work is held in numerous private collections across the USA, Canada, South Africa, and Europe. He continues to exhibit regularly across the UK, from the galleries of London to his native East Coast.

Quick Info for Collectors

• Commissions: Internationally accepted; oils on fine linen typically range from £1,000–£5,000 / watercolour starting £500.00

• Original Works: Available from £175.00 to £5,000.00

• Studio: Studio 3, ArtSpace Portsmouth, 27 Brougham Road, Southsea.

• Web: www.chriswoodartist.com
https://suffolkartists.co.uk/index.cgi?choice=painter&pid=7043

• Instagram: @chrisnwoodartist