Profile
PAUL DEACON
MARINE ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR
I was born in the historic and picturesque port of Dartmouth in South Devon, England where from an early age I was
surrounded by the influence of the sea. In the late 1950s and early 60s Dartmouth hosted some of the earliest
‘Tall Ships’ races and it was the sight of these schooners, ketches and square riggers laying in the river that
fired up my imagination and for ever delighted my minds eye.
Our family moved to the West Coast of Ireland where under my mothers strong artistic influence I began working on
my first paintings. Here on the coasts of Sligo, Donegal and Mayo I experienced the raw beauty of the open sea
and gained a closer appreciation of this watery element giving me the urge to explore it further.
Joining the Merchant Navy in 1973 I spent the next ten years trading on vessels around Europe, Scandinavia,
North Africa & the Mediterranean experiencing every aspect of a seaman’s life as well as regularly making sketches
or taking photographs of the maritime world around me.
Beyond my work life I took opportunities to sail on a range of traditional sailing craft around the coasts of
England, France and New Zealand. My family and I emigrated to New Zealand in 1995 and since then I have had
several solo exhibitions in Auckland and Northland. In my spare time I keep up regular maritime activities
with sailing and sea kayaking.
I take exceptional care in crafting my work together and gain pleasure from sourcing good reference material
by sailing or mooching around quaysides, boatyards and shorelines. I use high quality oil paint, canvas and
brushes for all of my paintings ensuring the finished results will give pleasure to generations of owners. My works
can be viewed at leading galleries throughout New Zealand, including Devonport, Auckland, Tauranga and
Queenstown.
Over the years my paintings and illustrations have been commissioned to illustrate a number of books
and magazines in New Zealand and the UK.
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