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Hadleigh Nub News delves into the life of Lavenham born artist Roy Turner Durrant.

Durrant was born in Lavenham on October 4 1925. His love for art and drawing began from an early age and continued throughout his entire life.

While still at school, he had a picture exhibited at Bury St. Edmunds. He also used his painting as a form of currency which he swapped for cigarette cards.

He left school at 14 years old and began working at a local electrical shop. He continued to spend his spare time drawing and painting.

At the age of 19, he joined the Suffolk Regiment during the Second World War between the years 1944 to 1947.

After the war, he earned a place at Camberwell College of Arts in London where he was taught by artists such as Edward Ardizzone and Keith Vaughan.

Farm 1953 [Picture credit: Market House Gallery]

While still at Camberwell, he was exhibiting his paintings in London galleries. At this point of time, his art style was moving from early landscape and architectural interest to abstraction.

In 1963, he moved to Cambridge for the position of Art Gallery Manager at Heffers, a well known local artists' materials and book sellers. He continued painting on his days off.

He made frequent exhibitions throughout his life, both in London and nationally. He also had his works included frequently in the annual Royal Academy London Summer Exhibitions.

His works have been collected by many different institutions worldwide and interest in his work both in Britain and overseas continued since his death in 1998.

His lifelong motto, which he inscribed in many of his childhood books, was "ars longa, vita brevis" or "art is never ending, life is short." He may have seen this particular motto in the bell tower of Lavenham Church, and, due to his wishes, was carved on his tombstone in Lavenham Churchyard.