From day one I have always had a pencil in my hand, much to the dismay of my parents when at the age of 2 years, with red crayon I drew, or should I say scribbled what I thought was a nice picture along the freshly decorated lounge room wall, I then turned my attention to the nice shiny surface of the piano ...I don't think I was very popular!!

Being fascinated by all things mechanical, I completed an Engineering apprenticeship in the early 1960's at De Havilland Engines in the United Kingdom. I joined the Technical Publications Dept in 1965 and after many years of illustrating, I went on to become Senior Illustrator at 'Rolls Royce', Leavesden, UK, and was responsible for creating many of the air brush colour cutaways of the engines designed and built by the company.

I have always been a "car nut", going to race meetings at Brands Hatch and Silverstone at every opportunity where I managed to pick up a number of commissions, not only cars but landscapes too.

In search of a better life, I emigrated to Australia in 1987 (becoming an Aussie in 1997). Finding It difficult at first to find full time employment, I started contracting. An opportunity then arose on the Black Hawk contract at Hawker de Havilland, Bankstown. I became Chief Illustrator and was responsible for the production of artwork associated with promoting the company world wide, the production of technical manuals, design integration, working on projects as diverse as the new Boeing Dreamliner and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and all other specialised Illustration work.

I left Hawker de Havilland in 2005 and am now able to pursue my passion of aviation art more fully. I paint in oils and acrylics and over the past few years have been fortunate in having had many commissions. At the other end of the scale I am currently producing a series of pencil drawings of Australian fauna.

Colin Parker ASAA- August 2006