John Ronayne ARCA

At a very early age, my father took me along to the National Gallery, where I became excited by the handling of landscape and light effects by masters such as Claude, Ruisdael and Turner. At school, the Art Room was my sanctuary; I was in there whenever possible. After schooldays, my undergraduate course was at Norwich School of Art. I was inspired by the big skies of Norfolk, and also the School's position, overlooking the river Wensum with its misty, almost Dutch, atmosphere. From there I won a 3-year postgraduate place at the Royal College of Art, based, most fortunately, next door to the V&A: inspiration was close at hand in the collection of theatre design models with their painted illusions of Nature, and the galleries particularly featuring Constable oil sketches. On graduation I founded my own specialist company in museum exhibition design, where spatial effect and the manipulation of light are vital elements, as well as the ability to visualise a scene pictorially for clients. Throughout that successful career I was continuing to paint both for pleasure, and occasionally for reward! Now I have decided to wind down the business, convert the office into a studio, and make myself free to concentrate on my first love.