John Puckey is a contemporary portrait artist. He has attracted many famous sitters; Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Seth Lakeman, Michael Caines, Ben Bradshaw MP, Lady Mary Holborrow, Michael Eavis, Hugo Swire MP and Sir John Nott have all sat for John. Each day John goes to a studio in a garden, in a village near Exeter. Here, he paints modern portraits in thick oil paint on pieces of wood. All his paintings are of heads with very little else included. A few years ago, John left university with a first class art degree. At school John learnt how to paint under the neo-impressionist Claire Western. In his first year as a professional John won two awards for his portraits – the Art in Devon Prize at the South West Academy and the Visitors’ Choice Award at the Thelma Hulbert Open. In 2008 John was shortlisted for the Holburne Portrait Prize and had portraits exhibited at the RWA.