Watercolour Challenge Home Join the club Contestants' gallery The experts Taking part Find out more Contestants' gallery Tassagh Viaduct by Grahame Booth Click on image to view enlarged version Grahame began painting in watercolour more than 10 years ago when his mother-in-law enrolled him in her art class, and his talent won him the Northern Ireland final in 1999. His style is to paint fast and loose, and while he used to paint landscapes exclusively he has now widened his subject matter to include townscapes and interiors. Corfe Castle, Dorset by Felicity Hedley Click on image to view enlarged version Felicity won the grand final in 1999, having triumphed in the Dorset week with her painting of Corfe Castle. She studied fashion at Kingston Polytechnic and worked in the fashion trade before the arrival of her daughter, Florence. Childcare took up all her time for seven years, but as Florence grew more independent Felicity took up painting. She was a late entrant to Watercolour Challenge and received confirmation that she would be a contestant only days before the shoot. Borrowing a box of watercolours from her father, she hurried to her appointment with the cameras – and began the first step on her way to the winner's prize of a painting holiday in Cuba. Falmouth Harbour by Maggie Pickering Click on image to view enlarged version Maggie has brought up four children with her husband Jeffrey. She lives on a farm and now has three dogs, two horses and a garden to care for. Nevertheless, she finds time to paint, using a bold, expressionist style that allows her to demonstrate her skill with colour. Toddington Station by James Fergusson Click on image to view enlarged version James says he has been painting in watercolour ever since he can remember, and when he competed in Watercolour Challenge in 1999 he had just gained a BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art at the University of Middlesex. His painting of the Thames won him the London final, and a day at Toddington Station brought him success in the semi-finals. Felixstowe Harbour by Jean Morris Click on image to view enlarged version Jean has travelled extensively with her husband and three children, holding various teaching jobs along the way. She came late to painting, only 18 months before Watercolour Challenge, after caring for her mother who lived until the age of 105. Now her enthusiasm for it is unbounded – she says her ambition is just to carry on painting for as long as possible. Hampton Court by Jo Ellis Click on image to view enlarged version Jo was born in Hong Kong and has lived in New Zealand, Africa, Pakistan, South Korea and Egypt. Now resident in the UK and with an English husband she married during her first sojourn here in the 1970s, she uses both Chinese and Western styles of painting. She works in acrylics as well as watercolour and enjoys painting buildings and landscapes. Aston Down Gliding Club by Jill Smith Click on image to view enlarged version Jill studied at Portsmouth College of Art and worked as a graphic designer until family and home took precedence. She took up watercolour four years ago after her husband died and she is now a member of Basingstoke Art Club. Jill likes the luminosity and fluidity of watercolour, and also its tricky unpredictability – she says she doesn't know why people find painting relaxing! Her favourite subjects are landscapes, buildings and seascapes. Highgrove by Rupert Cordeux Click on image to view enlarged version Now in his thirties, Rupert has been painting since he was eight years old and particularly enjoys working on location. His ambition is to travel and paint in Europe and to be able to earn a living from his art. He tends to begin with a tightly-drawn sketch over which he applies the paint freely and loosely. His influences include Richard Parkes Bonington, John Sell Cotman, Thomas Girtin and John Singer Sargent. ^top Home Join the club Contestants' gallery The experts Taking part Find out more Graphical version