Horsham artist John Davies talks life and art

The 97-year-old is president of the Association of Sussex Artists, with an impressive background and a gloriously crowded studio in his garden.

He said: “I have been painting my whole life, either what is around me or experimenting.

“I’m slowing down now but I managed to do enough for the Sussex artists’ exhibition.”

Born in Wales, his parents moved to Sussex when he was a child. His original career choice was hotel management.

He said: “Just before the war, my mother had a hotel in Worthing, in Downview Road – The Marcina Hotel. I used to help out when I was home from boarding school – the Royal Masonic School in Bushey – in the holidays.

“My mother then became ill and had to give up the hotel so the reason I wanted to go into the hotel business disappeared and I never went back to it.

“I had done quite a bit of training. The next step would have been going to Switzerland, but the war finished that so I became a company secretary, which I enjoyed.”

This line of work saw the artist employed as company secretary of soft drinks group Idris Ltd until it was acquired by Beecham in 1965.

He then joined the secretariat of Babcock International at their headquarters in St James’ Square. In 1980, he was transferred to their international contracting group based in Crawley and moved to Horsham, before retiring seven years later.

“I’ve been very happy in Horsham.

“Soon after moving here, I joined the Horsham Painting Group and the Horsham District Arts Council, of which I became chairman.”

For the past 27 years, John has designed Christmas cards for SASBAH, the Sussex Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

The new Christmas design – Winter at St Mary’s, Horsham – is currently on sale in the Horsham Museum shop, along with more of his designs as greetings cards.

In 2013, John and his wife Pamela celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary.

They met at a party in Kensington.

“A friend of mine was trying to get me fixed up with someone else. I took my cousin along and she was meeting Pamela to play squash.

“I asked my cousin for her telephone number and rung her up.”

They have been married for 66 years. And their secret to a long marriage?

“Don’t see each other,” jokes Pam. They both laugh.