Barrie Linklater

Born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, in 1931, Barrie Linklater studied at Woolwich Polytechnic School of Art and began his artistic career working in a London studio before leaving for Australia where he worked as a freelance for four years.
 
Returning to London, Linklater forged a reputation as a fine portrait artist—taking on commissions for The Baltic Exchange, The Royal Engineers and the Royal Miltary Academy, Sandhurst—and subsequently as an equestrian artist. His first commission in the latter area coming from HRH the Duke of Edinburgh during a sitting for a portrait commissioned by the Welsh Guards in 1975; Prince Philip suggested that Linklater during his sittings at Buckingham Palace that the artist should include his ceremonial horse in the painting. He then commissioned a painting of his own as a gift to the Queen on her Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty's favourite mares and foals. 

Equestrian work has since been commissioned by Her Majesty The Queen, The Ascot Authority, the committee of York Racecourse, The Honourable Artillery Company, Sheik Ahmed-al-Maktoum, the Queen's Tennis Club and the City of London amongst others. He has also recorded a number of significant Royal events, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the Royal Procession to Ascot through Windsor Great Park, the Garter Procession, the presentation of colours by the Queen to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and Her Majesty's visit with Prince Philip to the Royal Engineers.

In all he has 13 paintings in the Royal Collection and his work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, The Royal Society of Portrait Painters and a number of London galleries.. His work can be found in collections in the United States, Canada, Holland, Switzerland, Jersey, Dubai, the Far East and Australia.
 
In the 1960s, Linklater contributed illustrations to Look and Learn's adaptation of H. G. Wells' 'The First Men in the Moon' in 1963 and later, in 1967, began producing covers and illustrations on a semi-regular basis. He also contributed to The Bible Story in 1964.

Linklater is a member of The Society of Equestrian Artists and has been rewarded for excellence at several of their annual exhibitions. Recent prizes have included the President's Medal for "Most Meritorious Group of Paintings" in their Silver Jubilee Exhibition 2004 and Best Oil Painting 2006. 

Linklater lives and works in Berkshire.