Colin Barker

My art training was at the Hornsey College of Art where I achieved my National Diploma in Design degree (BA).
After art school I went into publishing, doing magazine and technical book design. I worked for various publishers and then at the Central Office of Information as a civil servant, which was a very rewarding job. After leaving there in 1977 I became a freelance graphic designer and since then I have worked mainly on educational publications. Whilst doing this I took the opportunity to get out with paints and pencils which enabled me to relax away from the constrictions of graphic design – choosing to paint or draw representationally as a contrast.
Semi-retirement now allows more time for experimentation using a range of media including graphite, watercolour and acrylic. I’m inspired by East Anglian landscapes and along with abstracts, these are my preferred subjects.