Born in Somerset, Keith Athay initially studied art at City of Bath College. He has been painting professionally since 2009. It was in this year that he decided to give up his day job as a prototype model-maker and live completely ‘off the grid’ in a field. His home was a yurt and he would grow his own vegetables, chop his own firewood, filter his own rainwater and most importantly, paint.
Keith loves to be by the sea as it’s where he feels most inspired. This love for the coast is clear in the enchanting and evocative harbour scenes he paints. He works with a wide range of materials including pen and ink, wood stain, acrylics and varnishes. He attaches collage materials such as sheet music, vintage maps, botanical diagrams and newspaper cuttings to large canvases and uses these as a background to his paintings. The viewer initially sees a coastal scene, often West Country fishing ports, and then on closer inspection finds a whole world of text and illustration lying beneath the painting.
Keith now lives in Dorset, where he divides his time between the studio, walking his faithful dog, Claude, and teaching life drawing. He has exhibited with Quantum since 2016 at art fairs in London, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and the Hamptons.
Composed Upon Westminster Bridge
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 42 ins (125 x 105 cm)
- £ 3,400
London My Beautiful
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 33 ins (125 x 85 cm)
- £ 3,100
Between the Tides
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 33 ins (125 x 85 cm)
- £ 3,100
A Sailors Retreat
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 33 ins (125 x 85 cm)
- £ 3,100
Hiawathas Departure
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 33 ins (125 x 85 cm)
- £ 3,100
Nimblekins View
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 33 ins (125 x 85 cm)
- £ 3,100
A Restful Evening
- Mixed media on canvas
- 42 x 34 ins (105 x 85 cm)
- £ 2,900
Crimson Harbour
- Mixed media on canvas
- 32 x 32 ins (82 x 82 cm)
- £ 2,000
Harbour at Dawn
- Mixed media on canvas
- 49 x 42 ins (126 x 106 cm)
- £ 3,400
Sheltered Harbour
- Mixed media on canvas
- 51 x 35 ins (128 x 88 cm)
- £ SOLD
Passing of the Rain
- Mixed media on canvas
- 42 x 32 ins (108 x 88 cm)
- £ SOLD
Fisherman’s Delight
- Mixed media on canvas
- 43 x 33 ins (110 x 84 cm)
- £ SOLD
Fish Supper for Two
- Mixed media on canvas
- 42 x 34 ins (105 x 85 cm)
- £ SOLD
