Glenn painting at a friend’s lovely farmhouse in Dorset

The finished watercolour painting of the farmhouse. Glenn is sometimes commissioned to paint houses and properties for clients.

A watercolour painting (framed) of a Bungalow in Cuffley, Hertfordshire. Glenn was asked to paint this by a friend.

An overview of my artistic endeavours, inspirations and the sources that inspire me.

As an artist, I am driven by a desire to explore the creation of realistic art in a modern context. I believe that art has the power to transform perspectives and evoke profound emotions. My work aims to convey the beauty and complexity of the human experience, using vivid imagery and elements.

Although a ‘city boy’ by birth, I have always cherished two particular passions: the countryside and sport. When not studying or working, I have found solace in the outdoors. By this, I especially mean walking, trekking and climbing. My outdoor adventures have taken me to various locations, both within and beyond the United Kingdom. Whether by the sea, in the mountains, amidst dark forests or beside a cascading waterfall, the beauty of my surroundings and the landscape consistently captivates and inspires me to paint.

While some might say that photography allows one to capture the landscape, my real enjoyment is in seeking to create immersive paintings that depict the raw essence of the scene. I strive to infuse my artwork with my personality and interpretation of the light, atmosphere and overall ambiance that only a painting can convey.

One particularly vivid memory is my experience of sea cliff climbing in Pembrokeshire, North Wales. Hanging, suspended by a rope high above the sea, I gazed down at the waves crashing onto the rocks below. The breath taking beauty of my surroundings, transcended the precariousness of my situation, enveloping me in a profound sense of well-being and I knew that when I returned home, I would have to create a painting of the scene.

In my art I seek to provide an immersive experience, allowing viewers to connect with the artwork and subject matter. This potentially evokes a similar sense of tranquility and heightened awareness of one’s surroundings.

Similarly, my involvement in various sporting activities, particularly fishing and golf, provides moments of reflection amidst the scenery. Whether beside a tranquil river or lake, or amidst the lush greenery of a golf course surrounded by trees, these experiences often inspire me to pause and appreciate the beauty of nature, wishing to put it to canvas.

Whenever possible, I embrace the outdoors, often painting in the open air. However I also find comfort in the familiarity of my studio, whether in Hertfordshire or Dorset. My preferred mediums are watercolour and acrylic paints, but I enjoy experimenting with other mediums, techniques and subjects, drawing inspiration from my diverse experiences.

I frequently display my paintings at exhibitions and art fairs. However selling a particular painting, especially one that holds sentimental value, can be quite emotional.

I sometimes feel as though I am shedding a part of myself from the creative process, as well as the memories associated with the landscape or subject matter depicted.

While I strive to recreate the subject matter in my paintings, I also endeavour to interpret them though variations of light, shadow, and depth. My goal is to convey a narrative through my art, aiming to evoke the pure beauty of the subject matter, whether it be a landscape, still life, animal, or building.

Everything and everyone has a story to tell.

Glenn Couling

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Biography

This is a story of an artist’s journey through life, spanning from his youth, progressing through his middle years, to eventual retirement and beyond. As he reflects on this odyssey, he contemplates his evolving relationship with the world of art, to the present day.

Glenn was born and educated in North London and attended Latymer Grammar School in Enfield. He later studied Law at the College of Law, London.

Currently residing in Hertfordshire, Glenn maintains a holiday home in Swanage, Dorset, overlooking the sea from which he gains much inspiration for his art.

Glenn’s artistic journey was ignited at a young age by his father, a carpenter by trade but also an accomplished artist, often being commissioned to paint landscapes and other subjects in oils. Encouraged and guided by his father, Glenn took up painting and at a young age won a prestigious art competition in the London Borough of Enfield, with an oil painting of a vase and flowers. At that point Glenn realised that painting was in his blood and embraced painting with a passion.

During his senior years at Latymer school, Glenn studied A-level art with the aspiration of attending art college. However unforeseen circumstances led him instead to study and follow a career in law, where he found pleasure in painting as a pastime.

Upon retirement, Glenn fulfilled his long-held dream of pursuing painting full-time as an artist.

Glenn is an enthusiastic art lover with a passion for studying art and artists, frequently visiting art galleries and museums to gain knowledge and inspiration for creating beautiful paintings, particularly landscapes. In his art Glenn seeks to explore the human experience though paintings that delve into the spiritual awareness of one’s surroundings and the wonders of nature.

Glenn employs a diverse range of mediums but primarily watercolour and acrylics in his paintings.

Whilst Glenn’s artistic expression encompasses a wide spectrum of subjects, including still life and animals, his primary focus lies in capturing the essence of nature in the form of landscapes.

Over the years Glenn has travelled extensively throughout the U.K. on walking and rock climbing holidays. Despite his love of the sea, he frequently spends time in the Lake District, Peak District, Wales, Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Scottish Highlands. He has also trekked though the Atlas mountains in Morocco, climbing the highest mountain there, Jbel Toubkal in the National Park. Glenn has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. These and other such trips have provided Glenn with inspiration in his art and especially his love of wild landscapes, as well as the animal life that inhabit such places.

Glenn sometimes paints subjects other than Landscapes, including still life and especially animals. On safari in Africa he gained a special interest in wild animals, enjoying painting them as well as those of the domestic variety.

During the latter stages of 2024 Glenn decided to explore to a greater degree, the effects of sunlight upon the landscape, particularly in relation to trees and forests. During 2025 Glenn proposes to expand upon this theme to seascapes and intends to produce a series of paintings, reflecting the concepts around this subject.

Glenn’s paintings can be described as modern, creative realism, characterised by his endeavour to evoke atmosphere and appreciation of the inherent beauty in the natural world.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Glenn painting ‘en plein air’ at Arne on the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, an R.S.P.B nature reserve that is often featured by the BBC in their ‘Spring watch’ series.