John Bell - A Retrospective

From 2003 until his death in 2022, John Bell was a much‑loved artist in Wells‑next‑the‑Sea, known for his expressive watercolours of the harbour, coastline, and town. He exhibited regularly with The Society of East Anglian Watercolourists and the Institute of East Anglian Artists.

Earlier in life, John worked in forestry in the South of England while developing his art. A formative invitation to study at the Royal Academy Schools in the late 1960s strengthened his lifelong commitment to drawing. His dynamic sketches of dancers at Ballet Rambert, now held in the Rambert Archive, reveal his fascination with movement and anatomy.

John painted wherever he travelled — from Norfolk to France and Spain — always guided by his devotion to capturing light, landscape, and the human form.

This exhibition celebrates the breadth and beauty of his work, honouring an artist for whom art was always the priority.

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