Tim O'Brien GAvA

"Even though I have always enjoyed painting and drawing from an early age, having grown up in a creative family, it wasn't until I was eight or nine that I started drawing more seriously. 

Then, not long after I joined the Air Training Corps as a teenager in 1983, I received my first commission from a fellow cadet for a watercolour of two F-16s thundering down a rain-soaked runway.  

Upon leaving school at 16, I worked with my Dad who took me on as his "apprentice", training me into the family commercial art business producing all aspects of illustration for advertising and print.

I went freelance after 6 years, supplying industry with hand-produced illustrations for marketing purposes as well as pursuing specialist aviation & military topics at the same time.

During the last 43 years, I have been very fortunate to have received some awards for my art; the first recognition was at the age of ten from the 'National Children's Book Week' competition where I designed a book-making machine. My 'Heath Robinson' design was judged by ex-Goon, Harry Secombe who awarded it first place in it's category. The second occasion happened nine years later when I recieved an award from HRH Prince Andrew in the 'Youth-in-the-Air' competition for a series of illustrated articles in the Air Cadet newspaper. Other awards include one for a watercolour landscape of a winter scene exhibited at Patchings Farm Art Centre, Notts.

However, putting these awards aside, what is more dear to me is the cherished memories of meeting characters such as wartime veterans: Bill Reid VC, John Cruickshank VC, Ken Wallis, Walter Schuck, Gunther Rall and Johnnie Johnson to name a few, as well as meeting actor Sir John Mills at the Mansion House, having tea with Richard Todd at his home and corresponding with the composer Ron Goodwin - many of whom are sadly no longer with us.

But the icing on the cake for an aviation artist is the opportunity to fly as a passenger (often in relation to a specific work project), gaining inspiration for my art through experience: Tiger Moth G-ACDC, Venture motor-gliders at RAF Syerston, Chipmunks and Bulldogs from RAF Newton, a Dragon Rapide over Cambridge, flying through Swiss mountains in the actual Ju52 that featured in Where Eagles Dare, taking off at 3am from Lyneham in a 47 Sqn Hercules bound for Gib via Portugal in 1989, a night flight in a 32 Sqn HS125 from Northolt in 1987, sitting in the cockpit 'jump seat' of a British Airways 757 from Heathrow to Edinburgh, aerobatics in a Pitts Special and Slingsby Firefly, cloud-busting in a Grob Tutor in 2001 plus opportinities to fly on the BBMF Dakota and Lancaster during some training sorties in the 1990s.

It is only through this close research and experiences that I am able to add that little bit extra, which makes a huge difference to the end result. I hope this shines through when you view the paintings and drawings in my website".

Tim is married and has two young children who keep them very busy.  Tim's pastimes include: rambling, collecting cinema posters, history and helping on the family allotment.