ACCLAIMED marine artist Nick John Rees delivered an inspiring talk to the Vaga Probus Club on Tuesday, July 8, sharing how he left a 20-year career in banking to pursue his passion for painting the sea.

Mr Rees credited the late Sir Kyffin Williams, widely considered Wales’ greatest landscape artist of the 20th century, for encouraging him to make the leap into professional art. Sir Kyffin’s advice to “paint what you love” struck a chord, and for Nick, that has always meant the sea.

He described the unique challenge of capturing the movement, atmosphere and light of the ocean, noting: “Always the same, yet never the same.” Working primarily in acrylics, Nick aims to create paintings that allow viewers to find their own connection with the sea’s mood and energy.

Nick often begins his work outdoors, soaking up the spirit of a particular place before returning to the studio to complete the piece. He brought four paintings to the talk, three seascapes and one landscape, and explained the stories and techniques behind them.

His work has been sold internationally, and he regularly takes commissions for specific locations. Probus members were fascinated by both his creative process and his personal journey from finance to fine art.

The talk was warmly received, with members praising Nick’s honesty, humour and insight into the world of a working artist. Many stayed behind after the meeting to ask questions and view his work up close.

Vaga Probus is a men’s group that meets twice a month in Ross-on-Wye and welcomes visitors and new speakers.

The club provides an opportunity for retired or semi-retired men to stay active, make new connections and enjoy stimulating talks on a wide range of topics.

Anyone interested can email [email protected] or visit www.vaga-probus-ross.org.uk for more information.