Talk to us here at Rochford Life : 0786 342 7294 or E-mail us
    HOME    
Make a point of visiting us weekly!
Groups
Roche Art Group
James’ Biography
“Born in the East End of London in 1941, James Merriott is a local painter who has lived in Brentwood for over 40 years and has been painting watercolour for 35 years.  He has had a love of art all his life and from a very early age was inspired by his uncle, Jack Marriott RI (1901 to 1968 ).  Much of Jack’s work was English landscapes commissioned by various railway companies to be reproduced as poster and carriage panel.
Although, like everybody else, setbacks have occurred from time to time, James considers that his life is a constant flow of good fortune.  His career in the London Fire Brigade (1962 to 1978) was cut short with the onset of rheumatoid arthritis and the disease has remained with him ever since.
To help cope with both pain and disability James turned to his love of art  and with it developed a passion to portray the places he loves. In addition to art, his interests include old buildings of the county and butterfly conservation, all of which are evident in the enthusiasm he has for his work.
The basis of his watercolours is simplicity and he demands of himself speed of execution to obtain results.  He depends entirely on visiting the subjects he depicts, and wherever possible, paints from life.
James’ achievements have meant that he has become very busy and he demonstrates and lectures to clubs and groups. He gives private tuition to fellow painters and undertakes commissioned work. In fact anything he is asked to do he feels privileged to take on.”

For contact details for James, please scroll down page  
James gets under way, first of all laying a wash on the sky area, working on the table.  He is working from an old painting he did years ago of Hadleigh Castle but is going to turn it into a snow scene. He has lightly drawn in the scene with a pencil and will build on that.
As I watch from the second row I have to take his word for what he is doing - to the ignorant it has not yet become clear.
As James first tells what he is going to do, and then gives a running commentary, the group are enrapt and you could hear a pin drop. Occasionally there is laughter and at one point I gasp as he mentions that one of the brushes he is using cost £57! (One of the others later told me they had been given one that cost over a hundred pounds!!!). Slowly the picture builds up:
To speed up the process he dries off the wash using a hair drier, in preparation for adding detail and body.  
The bulk of the work is now done on the easel .
With a temporary surround - the finished work - the result of an hour and a half’s work. Excellent!  Entertaining and certainly educational! A good evening, thank you James. Will I take up painting? Who knows, but this evening was certainly an encouragement to do so!
A close up of the ruin....
....and similarly of the fence
To contact James:

Tel. 01277 210728

E-mail  joanjimcca@fsmail.net

Website  www.cottagecornerart.co.uk

SAA website  saa.co.uk/art/jamesmerriott
JAMES HAS RECENTLY HAD HIS FIRST BOOK CALLED 'THE PAIN & THE PASSION' PUBLISHED. THE BOOK REVEALS HIS PAIN OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND HIS PASSION FOR PAINTING, ALONG WITH SOME INSIGHT TO HIS LIFE IN GENERAL.
A Demonstration Evening  - September 2011