Early Life
Barry Miles has been painting in watercolour for as long as he can remember. Family holidays to Cornwall, Devon, North Wales and later trips across Britain nurtured his love of landscapes and the coast. His artistic direction changed profoundly when he discovered the work of Edward Seago, whose atmospheric washes and expressive simplicity revealed the emotional power of watercolour — a quality that continues to inspire Barry’s own approach today.
Artistic Style
Barry’s style is firmly rooted in the impressionistic tradition of watercolour. He draws inspiration from artists such as Edward Wesson, Trevor Chamberlain, John Yardley, Rowland Hilder and many others whose influence can be sensed in the subtlety and restraint of his work. His paintings emphasise atmosphere over detail, using carefully placed washes to evoke light, mood and the quiet charm of the British landscape.
Process
Working mostly at modest sizes, Barry favours textured heavyweight papers and a direct, fluid technique. He begins by laying broad initial washes — sometimes of colour, sometimes clear water — and then builds depth with stronger mixes as the paper moves through stages of wetness. Timing and intuition guide each step. His sketchbooks, which he updates almost daily, form an essential part of his process and display his exceptional draughtsmanship and commitment to regular observation.
Reflection
Barry hopes his paintings offer viewers a moment of stillness — an invitation to appreciate light, weather and atmosphere in their simplest, most expressive forms. His work reflects decades of dedication to mastering a medium known for its unpredictability, and he embraces both the successes and the inevitable failures as part of a lifelong artistic journey.
Exhibitions
Barry exhibits regularly with the New Forest Painters, where his evocative watercolours and insightful sketchbooks are consistently admired. His work is recognised for its confident handling of watercolour, its atmospheric charm and its ability to capture the gentle character of the places he loves to paint.
Contact Barry
You can find Barry’s prints paintings and cards in the following locations:
New Forest Gallery & Collectables Lyndhurst
THE JOYS AND THE PITFALLS OF WATERCOLOUR
“I enjoy the unpredictable nature of watercolour. Watching washes of colour mixing together on the paper surface and never being quite sure how things are going to develop, is not only exciting but can also be really quite magical. Maybe this is why some people find the medium so difficult to handle, as there’s a constant urge to keep on painting, rather than spending time just observing as to what’s happening on the paper surface and reacting and responding accordingly. Possibly, by just being patient and letting washes dry, is sometimes far better than just pushing pools of colour back and forth, hoping they will end up in the right place and of the correct tonal value. Also the paper surface itself, can only take a certain amount of punishment before it becomes damaged and its luminosity and texture lost. Too much overpainting and colour over mixing can also lead to paintings looking ‘muddy’ and overworked. Despite all these difficulties though, watercolour is an absolute joy to work with and there’s nothing quite like completing a painting that really comes off, sells at an exhibition and ends up taking pride of place on somebody’s wall”