Martin Cooke Northern Ireland Artist watercolour free postage

Martin D. Cooke was born in Belfast in 1951. After leaving school he spent 5 years as an architectural draughtsman followed by a further 4 years in a successful restaurant business on Antrim's north west coast, thus combining his passion for painting and cooking. In 1978 the success of his first one-man show prompted him to turn professional.

His focus then was entirely watercolour and when he returned to Belfast in 1980, he set up his own studio and workshop in his new marital home. Those early years were spent contacting galleries and developing skills as a master of watercolour landscape. Several successful exhibitions followed, including a show in New York USA, which established him with a good reputation.
Following this he was elected a member of the Ulster Watercolour Society in 1989.

By the late nineties Martins highly detailed work gave way to a new challenge in his artistic career – abstract expressionism. Although he has painted exclusively in watercolours and oils, its acrylics on canvas that suit his impulsive nature, working intuitively and quickly. The abstracts have been well received, and have provided the necessary encouragement to stretch his abilities and imagination