All About Peter Speed

I work in acrylics, taking inspiration from the ever changing countryside around me, the big skies, the wild and wonderful coastlines, quiet inlets and moorings, glorious sunsets.......


My name is Peter Speed and I was born in 1948. After studying mechanical engineering at the North East Essex Technical College I was employed by the Marconi Company. I became a Chartered Engineer in 1980 having obtained experience in various technical positions. In 1984 I moved into project management and continued to be successful in this demanding area of work until I was forced to take early retirement on health grounds in 2000. Unfortunately I had been dogged by ill health for some years and the demands of a middle management role were making the high performance standards required more difficult to maintain. However, the early curtailment of my industrial career gave me the opportunity to explore other avenues. At first I spent time assisting my wife Betty with her horticulture business, and in learning about the Internet and the new commercial possibilities the World Wide Web offered. A number of ventures followed: cut flower sales; mixed bouquet sales; Interose - a web based business specialising in cut roses; Magnetic Matters - sales of magnetic health products and energy saving devices. All of these projects added to my repertoire of skills, but they also enabled me to reflect on my strengths and interests. And so, in 2003, a conscious decision was made to take up painting, a hobby that I had dabbled in on several occasions previously. At first I painted purely for pleasure, then for friends and relatives. But on being urged to exhibit my work, and after making a few sales I found there was a demand for my particular style and subject matter. Inspired by the landscapes of Suffolk and our coastline I am developing sets of paintings with a common theme or colour, often in monochrome. This enables buyers to match paintings to their decor and build on their initial purchase if they so desire. All of my paintings are in acrylic colour, a very versatile and vibrant medium that lends itself to many conventional techniques and facilitates experimentation. I am keen on exploiting these characteristics in my work, and although land and seascapes remain my special interest I will also take commissions for many other subjects.

Studio Directions

From Long Melford (the green near the church) take the A1092 towards Clare. In half mile take the B1066 signposted Hartest. After 2 miles enter Stanstead and turn right towards Shimpling. Highbank Nursery is about quarter mile on right. There is ample parking space.

Babergh Open Studios