About the Artist

Len Thorne

I was born in 1941 at Balham, South London. As a child I lived in Carshalton which is on the outer edges of London and Surrey. Painting and drawing was always my first love, at school and at home. As child I often had a pencil or paintbrush in my hand, it really is difficult to remember a time when I didn't, I was always painting and drawing.

After leaving school, I worked as an apprentice in the Joinery and Building trade. I continued in the same trade after my apprenticeship, until 1969 and then went into a career in selling, working as a Company Representative. In 1996 following a long selling career with several large UK based National companies I decided now was the time to return to my first love and give art my full time attention again.

Outside of my selling career I had always kept up with my artwork devoting much of my spare time to the practice of painting and drawing and although I'm very much a self taught Artist, some formal training of about two years was spent at the Farnham Adult Institute in Farnham, Surrey.

I paint in Watercolour, Pastel/Pastel pencils but mostly Acrylic on canvas or paper which I much prefer. Most of my work is now of Landscapes, Snowscenes, Christmas scenes Animals and Wildlife My paintings have been exhibited at the Maltings in Farnham, the Royal Horticultural Hall Westminster and Westminster City Hall, I'm also a long time member of the SAA (Society for all Artists).

I'm married and have two grown up sons, our Large Rhodesian Ridgeback dog is called "Bantu" and we live in Ash on the the border of Surrey and Hampshire.