WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, 34-year-old Joshua Waterhouse (no relation to JW Waterhouse, a question he gets asked often) wanted to be a farmer, a spy and then a painter – in that order. The latter was something of a given; painting and drawing were the things he was always best at. Even though his parents aren’t artists – they are both psychologists, although creative in their own ways (his mum is a keen photographer whilst Dad can do anything with his hands, including building the house Josh grew up in) – he and his three brothers were all encouraged to draw from an early age. They’re all now in creative jobs; something clearly rubbed off.
The first time he painted onto a wood panel was for his A-level project (a family portrait painted in acrylic) and it stuck; to this day, it’s still his preferred surface. Still, after his first year at Edinburgh College oftutors felt he should pursue painting and so, in an act of rebellion, he quit. It was during his second year at Aberystwyth University that he decided conclusively that said tutors were right, and that painting was his path. It was after successfully completing a number of portrait commissions at Aberystwyth that gave him the confidence to pursue a career in portraiture post-university – that, and visiting the at the National Portrait Gallery every year. “The different approaches to painting and the sheer technical skill are a continual benchmark to be reached for. It also showed me that contemporary portraiture was thriving. I particularly remember, in 2011, seeing an incredible portrait called by Alan Coulson and thinking I’d give my right hand to be able to paint like that. You can imagine how happy I was when my own painting, , was selected for the very same award in 2016.”
