Local artist Roger Thomas begins his Torquay United Legends collection with a portrait of United’s 90s star Lee Sharpe.
After 4 years in Art College, gaining a Diploma membership to the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers, and City and Guilds of London in Technical Illustration, Roger joined several Industrial firms as their senior illustrator, making it as Head of Office for an Aberdeen/Oxford Oil company before the age of 21. He left industry with added technical skills, and was the David and Charles artist, where he completed many books for them and McGraw & Hill, as well as Letts school studies.
Roger then joined the Herald Express as their commercial artist, and also wrote a weekly column called Rogers Rangers, which led to syndication and over half a million words for Regional and National newspapers, alongside Devon Life and Retired magazines. The artist has also written two books and is a published poet and composer, and has had over 1000 illustrations in National and Local newspapers, as well as many solo exhibitions of his Portraits, including two in London, with one of them being at the Royal Commonwealth Centre opposite Downing Street.
Even though Roger is a Technical illustrator, portrait painting was his passion from the age of 15, so he then started painting with charity in mind, with over 150 Portraits to date and the likes of Placido Domingo, Russell Watson, Donny Osmond, Emma Bunton, Sir Karl Jenkins, Aled Jones and Katherine Jenkins, as well as movie stars, Tippi Hedren and Dale Robertson, all telling Roger they loved his work. He was also the Official BBC Children in Need portrait painter of Sir Terry Wogan, and he used to chat about the portrait on his Radio 2 breakfast show.
Roger has worked with Glamorgan CCC and Scarlets Rugby on Legends Galleries, and is proud to begin a new series for his local football club, Torquay United, with the first portrait being that of Lee Sharpe, who went on to play for Manchester United and England. The artist’s next portrait will be of Justin Fashanu, of which he has the full support of his niece and family.
Roger has lived in the Bay now for over 40 years, and the prints are now available through his studio in Torbay, with profits going to the Club, and with the full size limited edition signed and numbered prints, which come with a certificate of authenticity, priced at £52, the popular A4 limited edition prints are £22, and the autographed ready to frame prints are £14.
All orders include postage in the UK, with non UK postage charged at £10. with Roger’s studio Paypal for all payments and enquiries being [email protected], though other payment methods are available upon enquiry. Whilst he still has a brush in his hand, Roger plans to create around 100 portraits for a Gallery of Torquay United Gulls Legends.