Shores – a journey along the coast from Deal, through Thanet and on to Whitstable – is the latest exhibition by artist Tony Thomas, as Peter Barnett reports.

He grew up by the seaside and returned there after his studies, and now artist Tony Thomas’s love of the coast is the inspiration for his latest exhibition Shores.

Tony, 67, said: “I grew up in Ramsgate and was interested in art from a young age. I studied at Maidstone College of Art before moving to teach and work in London but then I moved back to Kent. I just love living by the seaside. A year and a half in London was enough.”

He continued working as a teacher in Thanet in a career which spanned 40 years, with his final post running vocational art and design courses at Hartsdown Technology College in Margate, before he retired two years ago at the age of 65.

The father-of-two, and grandfather-of-three, who lives in Ramsgate with wife Elaine, said: “I did exhibit some of my work when I left Maidstone College, but when I started teaching I became too busy to do it.

“It is only since being retired that I have been able to put on an exhibition.”

His first was two years ago, when he displayed a collection of images of boats at Birchington Library’s David Burley Gallery. Now he is back at the gallery with Shores, comprising oil paintings depicting scenes from the Kent coastline. The exhibition is unusual as two thirds of the paintings are small 5x4” panels.

Tony said: “I have started to work on smaller scale, and normally sell them as small paintings on easels, which are easy for people to take from room to room. Using small canvases allows me to easily capture scenes when I am out and about, such as people walking their dogs by the sea.

“There are some A4 and A3 paintings in the exhibition though and they are aimed at depicting the colour and atmosphere around our shores, particularly during the changing seasons.”

Shores can be seen until Monday, April 22, and Tony hopes to stage more exhibitions in the future.

He said: “I may be retired from work, but I can’t imagine a time when I stop painting.

“I just love it. I paint in the spare room at my house, which is full of artwork.

“Luckily Elaine is creative as well, and does costume design for local theatres, so we work well together. She is used to me having oil paints everywhere.”

The David Burley Gallery in Birchington opens from 9am to 6pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 10am to 2pm on Saturday. It is closed Wednesday and Sunday. Admission is free.

For information call 08458 247200.