James Dodds, is arguably East Anglia’s most celebrated contemporary printmaker. He was born in Brightlingsea, Essex in 1957 and started his career qualifying as a shipwright at Walter Cook and Sons in Maldon, Essex. On completion of his shipwright apprenticeship, James was torn between his love of art and his love of boat building, but finally his passion for art won through and he went on to study at Chelsea School of Art and Royal College of Art, London.

In all of James’s work there is a gentle narrative of an artist who is intrigued by how the past meets the present. He portrays people, places and stories which resonate with his own life and growing up in East Anglia locations. As a shipwright he still holds a particular fascination with working boatyards and old fishing towns as well as being drawn to ancient sea myths and legends. We always have a good selection of James’ work, both framed and unframed, available in the Gallery and to order.