Painter and teacher, born at High Hoyland, near the Yorkshire Pennines, son of a forester on the Bretton Estate of Lord Allendale, and settled at West Bretton. He attended grammar schools in Wakefield and Hexham, a notable cross-country runner. Graduated in fine art at King’s College, Durham, University, tutors Victor Pasmore and Richard Hamilton, the only fine art student to complete the gruelling Three Peaks Race. Did wide-ranging teaching, including liberal studies at Wakefield Technical College, 1969–72; travelled on the continent and in Israel; worked as a spray painter, psychiatric nurse, sheep farmer and forester, his father’s occupation; and studied Unidentified Flying Objects at Warminster for several years. Was painter for the BBC Omnibus’ Van Gogh, by Patrick Barlow, and Alan Bennett’s A Question of Attribution, filmed by John Schlesinger.