A note from Doug Blanks

In 2012, at the age of 66, I bought some oil paints whilst on holiday and discovered something that had lain dormant inside of me for all my working life.

I had painted at school with horrible tempera blocks, but here I was in 2012 painting in a way I never thought possible – and this newfound ability had shown up literally overnight. I couldn't have been more shocked if I'd woke up speaking Japanese! How was this possible?

Meet my art teacher: Rembrandt!

I copied this self-portrait of him and fell in love with his technique. He became my tutor, friend and hero.

“Practise what you know, and it will help to make clear what now you do not know.”—Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

Since then, I've painted myself silly!

Art changed my life. I suddenly felt like a kid in a candy store. What to paint next? Subject, genre, treatment—a whole box full of chocolates, mine to devour. Art is life!