BBC Hereford and Worcester Rachel Willis finds out more about Charles Willmott.

Charles works from his studio attached to his home in the rural borders of Herefordshire and Worcestershire where he lives with his wife Susie and their youngest son Hague.

He has been painting since the early 60’s and in the mid to late 80’s he acquired a passion for the Orient and its cultures. During 1991 his first one-man show was staged at London’s Mall Galleries and was unique in featuring Japan’s national sport, Sumo.

In more recent times Charles has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on a number of productions including Tim Albery’s 'Macbeth' and Michael Attenborough’s direction of 'The Herbal Bed'. Charles has also been working with principal dancers of The Royal Ballet including Miyako Yoshida and Darcey Bussell.

As a contemporary figurative realist he prepares graphite and charcoal studies before painting in oils.

Darcy Brussel By Charles Willmott

When asked about his success Charles said, "My most successful work in critical terms is probably a series I prepared in collaboration with Darcey Bussell, but my female form work has achieved some degree of commercial success, a number of pieces having published as limited edition issues."

"I'm currently working with the Birmingham Royal Ballet covering a number of productions, particularly Romeo and Juliet. My plans in the future are really to continue to develop my main disciplines of ballet, female form and portraiture."

"As you may be aware I'm a figurative realist and as such these areas continue to provide me with much inspiration."

Jeanne D'Arc by Charles Willmott

In 2000 this dedication to the stage and performance achieved him a finalist place in the prestigious Garrick/Milne Prize and today Charles’s work disciplines are divided fairly equally between Portraiture, Female Form and Dance.