I am a painter of atmospheric and expressive landscapes, my subject a celebration of the land and its history, and of the forces of nature. Images often have an underlying narrative of ones place in the world interpreted through the subtle use of visual metaphor. Working in the open air as well as in the studio using an accumulation of drawings, colour studies and scribbles, are my usual work methods however I also visit exhibitions regularly and make drawings and interpretations of the work of others, which I refer to as Souvenirs.

Other passions include music, which has always played an important part in my life, whether it is classical, jazz, blues, soul, ska and reggae, rock or skiffle – good music is good music regardless of its genre. The written word and cinema has played its part too. Influences on my work are many and varied, I like to keep eyes, ears and mind open. Quotes from books, poems, film scripts or song lyrics often litter my conversations and the diary I’ve always had the habit of keeping. I made an attempt to list my cocktail of influences in a collection of haiku verses in 2002. Now, almost 10 years later, I could probably write another 18 verses!

Colin Slater  24.1.2011

My Sergeant Pepper (Mentors, Gurus, Motivators, Influences, Inspirations)

Ludwig van B
Jacob Ruisdael, Laurie Lee
– JMWT!

Sergei Rachmaninov,
John Piper, Roger McGough
Lennon, Vincent van Gogh

Corot, Rodrigo
MichelAngelo, Basho
Matisse, Picasso

Loussier, Monet
Tabner, Tress and Kurt J
Falla, Hiroshige

Miles Davis, JT
Giacometti, Debussy
Koninck, Daubigny

Rodin, Jules Pascin
Hambling, Moran, Hughes, Cezanne
Munich, Amsterdam

Barwürz, Pedigree
Django Reinhardt, Grappelli
Oloroso, Jack D

Franz Schubert, Bernstein
Creffield, Gershwin, Corenwijn
Roland Kirk, Rembrandt van Rijn

Brabazon, Eardley
Hitchcock, Freddie Mercury
Frédéric Back, McCartney

Muir, Frost, Wilfred O
Rivera, Leonardo
Rolf H, Orozco

Wilde, Welles, Tchaikovsky
Bonnard, Coker, Vivaldi
Charles Schulz, National G

Babe, Stan, Jostein Gaarder
Goya, Swift, Palin, Elgar
Lao-Tzu, Goodwin, Degas

Talking Heads, Lance Armstrong
Groucho, Güllich, McNaughton
Fred Astaire’s dance & song

Ustinov, Puccini
Lonnie Donnie, Luis B
Darcey, Sylvie G

Roma, Neruda
Frank Sinatra, Tommy Cooper
Hokusai, Weinberger

Coltrane, Mariza
Hancock, Hopper, Sobers, Whistler
Bischofsmais, Buena Vista

Callas, Brothers B
Wolferstetter, Billy C
H & M, Verdi

People and places
My life embraces
A lifetime of friends
The list never ends


  1. Ludwig van B        – Beethoven – composer
  2. Jacob Ruisdael        – painter
  3. Laurie Lee        – poet/author
  4. JMWT        – Joseph Mallord William Turner – painter
  5. Sergei Rachmaninov    – composer
  6. John Piper        – painter/printmaker
  7. Roger McGough        – poet
  8. Lennon        – John – singer/composer
  9. Vincent van Gogh    – painter
  10. Corot        – Camille – painter
  11. Rodrigo        – Joaquín – composer
  12. MichelAngelo        – painter/sculptor/architect
  13. Basho        – poet
  14. Matisse        – Henri – painter/sculptor/printmaker
  15. Picasso        – Pablo – painter/sculptor/printmaker
  16. Loussier        – Jacques – jazz musician, piano
  17. Monet        – Claude – painter
  18. Tabner        – Len – painter
  19. Tress        – David – painter
  20. Kurt J        – Jackson – painter
  21. Falla        – Mañuel de – composer
  22. Hiroshige        – Utagawa – printmaker
  23. Miles Davis        – jazz musician, trumpet
  24. JT        – Jethro Tull – rock group led by Ian Anderson
  25. Giacometti        – Alberto – painter/sculptor/printmaker
  26. Debussy        – Claude – composer
  27. Koninck        – Phillips – painter
  28. Daubigny        – Francois – painter
  29. Rodin        – Auguste – sculptor
  30. Jules Pascin        – painter
  31. Hambling        – Maggi – painter/sculptor
  32. Moran        – Thomas – painter
  33. Hughes        – Robert – Art critic/writer
  34. Cezanne        – Paul – painter
  35. Munich        – capital of Bavaria
  36. Amsterdam        – capital of the Netherlands
  37. Barwürz        – Bavarian schnapps
  38. Pedigree        – Beer brewed by Marstons Brewery
  39. Django Reinhardt    – jazz musician, guitar
  40. Grappelli        – Stephane – jazz musician, violin
  41. Oloroso        – Spanish Sherry
  42. Jack D        – Daniels – Tennessee Whiskey
  43. Franz Schubert        – composer
  44. Bernstein        – Leonard – composer
  45. Creffield        – Denis – painter
  46. Gershwin        – George – composer
  47. Corenwijn        – oude jenever – Dutch gin
  48. Roland Kirk        – jazz musician, flute/saxophone
  49. Rembrandt van Rijn    – painter/printmaker
  50. Brabazon        – Hercules Brabazon – painter
  51. Eardley         – Joan – painter
  52. Hitchcock        – Alfred – film-maker
  53. Freddie Mercury    – singer/composer
  54. Frédéric Back        – animator
  55. McCartney        – Paul – singer/composer
  56. Muir        – Edwin – poet
  57. Frost        – Robert – poet
  58. Wilfred O         – Owen – poet
  59. Rivera        – Diego – painter
  60. Leonardo        – Da Vinci – painter/scientist/engineer
  61. Rolf H        – Harris – painter/TV personality
  62. Orozco        – José Clemente – painter
  63. Wilde        – Oscar – poet/playwright
  64. Welles        – Orson – actor/film-maker
  65. Tchaikovsky        – Peter Ilyich – composer
  66. Bonnard        – Pierre – painter
  67. Coker        – Peter – painter/printmaker
  68. Vivaldi         – Antonio – composer
  69. Charles Schulz        – Illustrator of ‘Peanuts’
  70. National G        – Gallery, London
  71. Babe        – Oliver Norvill Hardy – actor
  72. Stan        – Laurel – actor
  73. Jostein Gaarder        – author/philosopher
  74. Goya        – Francisco José – painter/printmaker
  75. Swift        – Graham – author
  76. Palin        – Michael – traveller/writer
  77. Elgar        – Edward – composer
  78. Lao-Tzu        – philosopher
  79. Goodwin        – Albert – painter
  80. Degas        – Edgar – painter/sculptor/printmaker
  81. Talking Heads        – rock group led by David Byrne
  82. Lance Armstrong    – cyclist
  83. Groucho        – Marx – actor/writer
  84. Güllich        – Wolfgang – climber
  85. McNaughton        – Colin – poet
  86. Fred Astaire        – actor/dancer
  87. Ustinov        – Peter – writer/actor/raconteur
  88. Puccini        – Giacomo – composer
  89. Lonnie Donnie        – Donegan – musician
  90. Luis B        – Buñuel – Film-maker
  91. Darcey        – Bussell – Ballet dancer
  92. Sylvie G        – Guillem – Ballet dancer
  93. Roma        – capital of Italy
  94. Neruda        – Pablo – poet
  95. Frank Sinatra        – singer
  96. Tommy Cooper        – magician/comedian
  97. Hokusai        – Katshushika – printmaker
  98. Weinberger        – Harry – painter/tutor
  99. Coltrane        – John – jazz musician, saxophone
  100. Mariza        – Portuguese Fado singer
  101. Hancock        – Herbie – jazz musician, piano
  102. Sobers        – Sir Garfield – cricketer
  103. Hopper        – Edward – painter
  104. Whistler        – James Abbott McNeil – painter
  105. Bischofsmais        – Village in Bavaria
  106. Buena Vista        – Social Club – Cuban jazz band
  107. Callas        – Maria – singer
  108. Brothers B        – Brecker – Michael & Randy – jazz musicians, saxophone & trumpet
  109. Wolferstetter        – Bavarian wheat beer
  110. Billy C        – Connolly – comedian/actor/banjo player
  111. H & M        – Henri & Maria
  112. Verdi       – Guiseppe – composer