Graham Steen BA(Arch)(Hons), PPFB, PPHF.
I am retired architect and designer. I have drawn in pencil and ink, painted in acrylic, gouache, oils and watercolour for most of his life. In the last 30 years, with more time available I concentrated on buildings in landscape settings in Devon & Cornwall and locations overseas that I visited, including Europe, USA, Philippines and North Africa. I studied watercolour painting under Michael Hill and retired as a practicing architect in 2003, to sail, draw and paint.
As a sailor for over 70 years I have always enjoyed views of land from the sea and the relationship between the sea and buildings and cliffs close to it. This has taken me to interesting places where the heritage of the countries I have visited can be recorded in various media. I have also been fascinated by old buildings in Devon and Cornwall, particularly those that are derelict or no longer used and their location in the landscape of . My drawings and paintings are a record of the past as buildings continue to crumble and their materials repurposed. These works are sometimes drawings on their own or with watercolour or in acrylic paint.
In 1993 my firm Steen Mitchell Architects Ltd were appointed on a number of projects by The Plymouth Development Corporation and this included a role as principal planners for the whole of the Stonehouse Peninsula, to make over 100 planning applications. Part of our work included preparing drawings of all the existing buildings affected by the proposals. These were carried out by hand in ink.
In the last few years, I been working on new freehand ink drawings, showing the streets, buildings and water-frontages, based on the original drawings, but redrawn to approximately 1:200 scale, more suitable to create images that can be enjoyed by collectors. These drawings represent what the area was like in 1990, before any work was carried out by the Development Corporation. The drawings are on Arches 300lb NOT watercolour paper or heavy cartridge paper, freehand drawn and mounted and framed with an oak frame. Sizes vary to suit the scenes. Some are shown with watercolour and others as detailed line drawings. Limited edition prints (20) of all of the drawings can be available, and/or with watercolour and limited edition prints (50) of Royal William Yard are available in ink or with watercolour which will ensure that every painting is individual.
I continue to draw Plymouth Waterfront both old and new. I am happy to make original drawings in ink or ink with watercolour of other areas of the local water-frontages if commissioned. Digital copies of all these drawings will also be provided to the City Archivist as a record, to be kept in the city’s archives as well as the original drawing prepared in 1990’s.
I continue to draw and paint other local scenes and will undertake commissions to make a sketch of individuals homes in the local area. Contact me for prices and availability of my art works at grahamcsteen@gmail.com leaving your email address and telephone number and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Although most of my current work is in pen and ink and watercolour I also work on a larger scale in acrylics.
Graham Steen
