Fred Beckett is an accomplished artist whose knowledge of his native East Anglia often appears as the subject matter of his paintings.
He is a Member of The Royal Institute of Oil Painters and was its President 1995 to 1997; in January 1998 he was elected a Fellow of The Institute. He is an Honorary Artist Member of The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours and an Honorary Member of The Royal Society of British Artists. He is also a member of the renowned Wapping Group of Artists and he is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers. In October 2009 he was elected a Member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists.
He exhibits regularly at the Mall Galleries in London and was the 1995 winner of the ROI Alan Gourley Memorial Prize for an outstanding painter and was awarded the Le Clerc Fowle gold medal in 2002. In 2006 he was awarded the Dartington Crystal Chalice for outstanding contribution and service to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. His work has been shown at many galleries in London and the Provinces. In the past ten years he has successfully held six solo exhibitions.
After a very successful business career it was always part of the ‘grand plan’ to develop his artistic talent. However, he did not foresee that his development would be so rapid leading to a growing demand for his work.
Influenced by impressionist techniques he is settled with his loose style which brings a freshness to his paintings. He is well travelled and has a natural love of landscape and big skies but in recent years has successfully brought figurative aspects into his work as well as expanding his repertoire to include continental scenes.
Many of his paintings are in private collections in USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, Japan and Australia as well as the United Kingdom.