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Mel Whittaker |
Mel Whittaker, Artist, Engraver and
Watercolourist
Mel Whittaker was borne in York in 1941,
moving at an early age to Scarborough where he was soon enthralled by his
coastal surroundings. In his early paintings, watercolour and drawings were the
medium used to capture sea sand and sky whilst portraits were executed in
oils, in fact his first successes in youth exhibitions were portraits.
Entering the world of printing he soon became
increasingly interested in etching and engraving on traditional and new
materials and has used his techniques throughout his arts career.
Mel takes his inspiration from the
wild North Sea and the hardy fishermen who launch out from the open shore and work their gear in the
ubiquitous Yorkshire Coble off the North East coast of England. These last
frontiersmen and their boats provide a rich social history with a legacy that
extends as far back as Viking times and this is reflected in Mel's work which
depicts their working life and their spiritual link with their forebears.
He also has a great affinity for the rich maritime wild life on this coast and
reflects these and the moods of the weather in his wide range of popular artwork
which attracts interest from far and wide.
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