Austin was born in 1930 in Tiverdale, which in
those days was part of South Staffordshire. After qualifying
as an engineer he took up a career as a lecturer based at the
University of Wolverhampton. For many years therefore his artwork
was forced into second place, but since his retirement he has
been able to devote the majority of his time to doing what he
loves and his atmospheric paintings have become highly sought-after
Austin’s richly textured, evocative compositions are created
in oils with the exclusive use of a palette knife. His primary
interest is in the countryside and rural pursuits of the Black
Country, especially in the early morning and evening, when the
sun is low whether visible or not. He includes figures to add
an element of human interest as well as a suggestion of scale.
These tend to introduce a certain lightness and almost gently
humourous touch to each image.
Austin’s work has been displayed to great acclaim all
across the UK
