Shane Couch

Marine Artist and J Class Specialist

My journey as an artist is not about art schools, academies or tutors, prizes won or shows participated in. My journey has been one driven by my passion and the desire to tell stories through my work. My teachers have been the boats and sailors I have met along the way and my academy has been the sea in all its states.  

My father and grandfather had been in the Navy and would feed my boyish curiosity with stories of great ships and events in history, these stories from a very early age gripped my imagination. For as long as I can remember I would sketch out these great events so I could witness and participate in them for myself. 

As I grew up I would spend hours at home or in libraries reading books and old magazines captivated by the history and events described within their pages from Nelsons Navy to those of the first and second World War. My earliest memories are of my father building models of great battleships, aircraft carriers and ocean liners, I would use these models when he was not looking to recreate the battles I had read about and use them as reference for my early drawings. I was always in trouble if he found an airplane dislodged from a carrier deck a bent mast or missing sail. 

Being brought up in the industrial north of England in the 1970’s and from a very working-class background, I like most boys of that time was steered towards a job in industry and away from any artistic ambitions I may have naively entertained. I at length became a Project Engineer in the Aircraft Industry. A position I filled for the next 15 years. During these years I kept my passion alive by continuing to read and sketch the great events of naval history building quite an extensive library and knowledge of the subject at the same time. It was not until one of my habitual sketches were seen by a work college that I got my first request for a painting. Embracing the challenge but having never painted before I quickly worked out how and what to do, and during the evenings working in my kitchen on an oven shelf, produced my first painting. The painting was a great success and quickly lead to many other commissions, with each new commission I learnt a little more and within 12 months had decided to follow my passion and set off on the unknown but exciting path of a Marine Artist. 

On a visit to the Isle of Wight, I showed my work to a local Gallery owner who was to change my life. With his encouragement and support, I moved to Cowes where I was immersed by its rich heritage of yachting. My sketching and paintings shifted from Navel scenes to yachts and yachting, particular the Big class and the J Class. In those early days I was so lucky to meet and listen to some of the actual sailors that raced on the J’s in the 1930s and listen to their stories, It was just like listening to my Grandfather all those years before. They made the past come alive and my imagination took fire.  For the 30 following years I have painted my passion. During my journey I have searched out and developed those skills that I felt were needed to better tell the stories I wanted to share as accurately and passionately as possible. I am constantly looking to develop and improve my story telling skills. I have been so lucky to have witnessed and sailed on some of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular yachts and met the remarkable people who both race and run them. 

Seascapes and Wave Paintings

For some years now I have been painting Seascapes and Wave Paintings, These works evolved out of a desire to improve my sea painting techniques. In these paintings I can explore the rhythm and movement of the ocean along with studying the interaction of light on its surface. Painting waves has been a nice diversion from the exactitude of my historical marines and they allow me to be freer and more expressive in my brush work recharging me and leaving me fresh and inspired for my next marine painting.

I am at my happiest when I am on or by the water and when I paint I bring the sea home to me.