West Berks CEO who picked up his paints during cancer treatment is selling sketches for charity

Treatment for cancer prompted leisure painter Chris Boulton to exhibit 120 watercolour sketches – many that helped him through recent difficult times – to raise funds for charities that supported him. You can view the work in advance of the exhibition at https://bit.ly/3bm68Ol

One-hundred-and-twenty watercolour sketches, painted as a pastime, are being sold to raise funds for two cancer charities.

The work is being displayed at The Base at Greenham this weekend (Saturday and Sunday), from 10am to 4pm.

Greenham Trust chief executive Chis Boulton is a well-known Newbury businessman, cyclist and sometime Kennet Radio presenter and Northern Soul-dancing fundraiser, but you may have missed his art postings on social media.

He never formally trained as an artist but has painted watercolours for pleasure all his adult life.

“I enjoy doing this ‘on the go’ but having lived a busy and active life I seldom had the time to paint – even on holidays we were always engaged in various sporting activities,” he explains.

However, Covid lockdown and enforced rest due to cancer treatment after his diagnosis in November last year resulted in him picking up his painting kit and stepping this activity up “during my period of treatment and on days I didn’t feel up to much else”.

From 200 images painted over the last couple of years and some from before, more than 120 are featured in the exhibition.

They are being offered at a minimum price of £30 for an original and £15 for a print, both mounted.

There will also be six originals (including the Matterhorn), for which prints won’t be done, available in a silent auction during the exhibition.

“Do come along to meet me and see them at The Base at Greenham Business Park if you can,” says Chris.

The net proceeds will go to Pelican Cancer Foundation and My Cancer My Choices.

You can find out more about these charities via: www.pelicancancer.org and www.mycancermychoices.org