One of the world's best-known watercolour painters has swapped his artist's smock for a Musto jacket and deck shoes. Alexander Creswell made his name painting large-scale watercolours of architecturally important buildings but has recently turned his
attention to classic sailing yachts. He made the change after watching the classic yachts Mariette, Altair and Mariquita battling it out in Falmouth Bay while on holiday in Cornwall.

"Speeding along in a RIB at 12 knots beside them, I realised that much of what had driven me in architecture was here manifested in mahogany, canvas and brass rather than in stone - supreme beauty animated by the fleeting effects of light," says Creswell.

Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales are fans of Creswell's work, having commissioned him to paint a series of watercolours of the fire and restoration of Windsor Castle.

An exhibition of his yacht paintings is being held at the Portland Gallery in London from March 19. You can view the paintings at www.portlandgallery.com
SuperYachtWorld, 11 March 2009