One could be forgiven for not immediately associating racing cars with painting or plumbing with portraits or modern art with the parish council, but Anthony Wilson Piper combines all of these things in his life and without doubt, they all contribute to the highly original style that bursts from his colourful and vibrant work.

Anthony was born in Hertfordshire in 1935 and grew up on his father's farm. His mother was Swiss and his father English. Painting played an early role in his life as did sport and a lively interest in machinery. In 1952, he enrolled in one of the first industrial design courses at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in Holborn finishing with a prestigious diploma in mural painting and design.

The Central School then was a cosmopolitan world made up mostly of adult students. It was an exciting time as successful artists of the day came to critique the students’ work and discuss ideas - the idealism of those days is still a driving force behind his work. Studying was supported by working at night in coffee bars and soup kitchens and during holidays on the family farm or as a porter in railway stations. In 1957, he left art school and began his national service. During this time, he developed a strong social conscience which led automatically to an interest in politics.

In 1959, he met his wife Peter, who was always a strong supporting influence and his constant companion. Together, they settled in London and Anthony discovered that his varied skills could be put to excellent use as a builder. He opened his first business in Hampstead and plumbed his first house in Knightsbridge with a plumbing manual borrowed from the library in one hand and a pipe cutter in the other. There followed an exciting ‘apprenticeship’, maintaining slum property in Kilburn and later through the theatrical agent Peggy Thompson, a happy eight years converting and restoring houses for actors and actresses in various parts of the capital.

Cars have always been a passion and his spare time, (when not devoted to his painting), was spent in garages, building fast and exotic road cars. Anthony also found time to learn and practice karate. And it was in fact his teacher, a famous Japanese artist, who encouraged him to put down the builder’s tools and to take up the paintbrush in earnest once again.

The Pipers left London in 1977 and moved to Peter's birthplace in the Black Forest.

Southern Germany although very beautiful proved to be a disappointment. Life was difficult and through unexpected illness and unemployment, Anthony spent five years painting with little recognition or income. However, the couple made many friends and he began to build up a reputation. By chance they were able to buy, in the neighbouring village of Wolpadingen, an old school which Anthony had soon restored.

Together, they opened a gallery on the ground floor, not as a business, but to give local painters the opportunity to exhibit their work.

It proved to be a great success. Shortly afterwards, German Southwest television commissioned a 30-minute film about Piper's work, which was shown on several occasions on primetime German television. Recognition came as his paintings were exhibited in a variety of locations including Stuttgart, Basle and Freiburg. As a result, his work now forms part of collections, state and privately owned, in Germany, Spain, USA, Poland, Switzerland, Austria and of course, the United Kingdom.

However, life in Germany after 17 years was rapidly changing and England beckoned the Pipers back to her shores. They settled into a manor house in the sleepy community of Misterton in Somerset, where Anthony built a studio and was once again producing paintings of great charm and originality. He became a town councillor in nearby Crewkerne and embarked upon painting the portraits of the mayor and his fellow councillors, just as he did for his fellow villagers in the Black Forest. Many of those paintings have remained in Wolpadingen, where Anthony will be remembered as a genial Englishman of great talent.