Marine artist Paul Deacon was born in 1953, with the salt spray in his blood largely due to his family's strong nautical traditions.

His birthplace of Dartmouth in Devon, England, had been a port since the 12th Century and had hosted the invasion fleets for the second and third crusades.

Fuelled with a love of sailing ships from a young age, Deacon went to sea and spent years on merchant vessels working around Europe and the Mediterranean.

With his other major family interest being art, he would spend his spare hours on board painting.

His time at sea gave him a real eye for the weather and that has enabled him to set down in his highly detailed work all manner of conditions in a life-like way.

He has been exhibited many times, his first being at the Plymouth Theatre Royal in 1989.

Deacon has since moved to New Zealand, where he continues his impressive work on the majestic days of sailing ships.

He is available for commissions in oils, watercolours and pen and ink drawings.

For more details contact editor@napoleonguide.com