Jack Merriott RI ROI RSMA RWS (1901-1968), Cloudy Day, South Downs looking east from Wiston, signed lower left, watercolour, framed. Measurements 37 x 51cm, framed measurements 57.8 x 71cm

Jack Merriott (1901-1968) was born in Greenwich, beginning his artistic career as an illustrator for Sphere Magazine and producing the watercolour images for the book series Beautiful Britain. He was a regular contributor to The Artist magazine as well as creating poster designs for British Railways and the Post Office. During the 1950s he relocated to Polperro in Cornwall and taught watercolour classes, travelling around the country to give painting demonstrations and created a correspondance course for watercolours at the Pitman College of Art. He had a number of pieces exhibited with the Royal Academy and was Vice President for the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour and member of the Royal Society for Marine Artists. Merriott was appointed as one of the official artists for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminister Abbey. He unfortunately died in 1968 as a result of injuries inflicted by a car accident.