'ANGLESEY PUFFINS' PAINTING. ORIGINAL WATERCOLOUR PAINTING BY THE LATE BRITISH ARTIST, THOMAS JOHN BRERETON (that's him in the pictures above)
Hello and welcome to another listing of one of my late father's original framed watercolour paintings. The painting, which is on board, was painted with high quality artist's watercolour paints and framed upon completion. The picture is NOT a reproduction, print, photocopy, etc. It is the real thing, signed, framed and ready for hanging.
My father loved the beautiful isle of Anglesey. South Stack lighthouse to the north west of Anglesey with its stunning cliffs and rugged coastline formed the perfect backdrop for this painting. In summer time the cliffs are used by thousands of nesting sea birds including Puffin, Guillemot, Fulmar and Razorbill. It makes for a spectacular and somewhat noisy sight!
My father's painting perfectly captures the feel of a warm sunny day on South Stack's cliffs. The meticulously painted stocky Puffins with their strikingly coloured beaks are carefully 'framed' by and contrast with delicate flowering Sea pinks and heavily weathered rocks almost completely covered in a colourful assemblage of lichens. It always seemed to be breezy at South Stack, even on a warm sunny day. The white water of breaking waves far down below the puffins provide a subtle reminder of this.
My father's painting was the culmination of over 10 years worth of 'in the field' sketching at South Stack and his photographs. This meticulous careful approach to painting development worked and for anyone who has watched sea birds at South Stack cliffs on a warm day in May 'Anglesey Puffins' will instantly take you there. The warmth, colour, rocks, plant and bird life are unmistakably South Stack!
I was with my father many times as he sketched at South Stack and I know that this painting in particular is of a cliff edge within the RSPB nature reserve looking north towards the lighthouse's miniature rocky island.
Anglesey's rugged coastline and breeding sea birds have attracted many artists, most notably the great twentieth century wildlife painter Charles Tunnicliffe R.A. who my father admired greatly. Having studied that great artist's work, I have no hesitation in stating my belief that this 'Anglesey Puffins' painting by my father deserves its place in the highest echelons of wildlife art. To me, it is easily one of his finest bird paintings.
This watercolour which measures 22cm x 19cm and sits within a 41cm x 38cm frame was painted by my late father, Thomas John Brereton (I am his eldest son, Steven Brereton). My late father struggled with the 'digital age' and its computers, software, flash drives, etc, etc; he much preferred to sketch and paint than wrestle with computers! Whilst my father had no website (not good for an artist...) he did have a studio full of his superb wildlife, livestock, pet, portrait and landscape/seascape paintings. After much discussion we decided back in 2017 that something had to be done. Just like many artists, my father never lost his burning desire for people to see and enjoy his work so I stepped in to try and help out with his painting sales, hence a bit of activity by me and my computer on his behalf via eBay. To say that sales exceeded our expectations is something of an understatement. And, in keeping with one of art's greatest and arguably unfortunate traditions, sales of my late farther's work have accelerated significantly since his passing in 2018...
I am a long standing 'eBayer' with a 100% rating so buy with confidence.
As my father was an unbelievably prolific artist and I work full time and have a family, getting round to listing all of his paintings is taking far longer than I expected. I am determined to list them all so if you are a connoisseur of fine art do please check back as I will be continually listing my late father's paintings, drawings, etc.
Please have a browse through my father's other paintings which I have already listed. I sincerely hope that you enjoy the journey!
Thomas John Brereton, Artist and Sculptor
My late father Thomas John Brereton was originally from Stockport in Cheshire. He was trained in art at the John Hensall studio in Stockport, and later under John Mifflin A.R.C.A. in Marple, Cheshire.
My father founded the Society of Marple Artists in Cheshire and, amongst other things, has been an active member of the David Shepherd Charitable Foundation, the Wildlife Art Society and the Society for Wildlife Art of the Nation. He has exhibited his artwork throughout the UK including the Mall Gallery, London, Northern Wildlife, Wales, and the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art, Liverpool. His paintings are held in collections in the USA, Canada, Europe and the UK. He has also undertaken commissions for The Cheshire Life and Dalesman magazines, the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Freshfield's donkey sanctuary, farmers, horse lovers and numerous other private customers. He also taught art for many years to disabled people.
Over the last 60 years, my father's passion for art, animals and environmental conservation has been channelled through his primary interest, wildlife painting, although he does like to intersperse this with landscape (boosted by trips to Venice and Kenya), seascape, abstract and portrait (human, equine and pets) painting too. His paintings are developed primarily from his own 'in the field' sketches (of which there are literally thousands!) which helps give them a vibrancy, life and realism which is unobtainable when working solely from photographs in a studio. In addition, I have always felt that my father's understanding of light/shade and the effects of time and weather, again derived from over 60 years of sketching and painting outside, adds an extra dimension to his paintings. I even have his sketchbooks from the 1950s!
You have to see my late father's paintings in the, er, 'flesh' as they are fantastic; vibrant, life-like, textured, etc, etc. Even with masses of latent artistic talent which my father possessed, you can only achieve this level of excellence through 1000's of hours of patient observation, in the field sketching and studies of anatomy, light, weather and the passing of the seasons. My father's 10,000+ sketches - works of art in their own right - are testament to his incredible lifelong dedication to artistic excellence.
Payment and shipping
Payment by PayPal please within 48 hours of the auction ending or if you prefer, cash on collection. Please contact me before the auction ends if you wish to pay by cash on collection. Collection must be within 5 days of the auction's end.
I am happy to ship oversees. Please contact me for a shipping price before the auction ends.
Your painting will be carefully packed and shipped fully insured.
Colours in the eBay listing photograph
Every effort has been made to ensure that the colours in the listing photograph are as close to the original painting as possible but, there may be some variation due to the limitations of photography and different computer monitor settings. If you are in any doubt, please feel free to come and see the picture(s) before the auction ends. Copious tea and biscuits will be available!
It should also be noted that the painting's frame really is straight and square. The curves of the frame in the listing picture above are caused by camera distortion.
Thank you very much for looking and please do not hesitate to contact me with any queries.