Ian was born in 1957 and studied at Bournemouth College of Art. At the age of 21 he set off across Europe for ten months, recording his travels in watercolour. This instilled a love of Mediterranean subjects, which was to influence his work many years later. From the ages of 24 to 28 he lived in London and Sicily, earning his keep painting portraits, before he moved to Germany, where he remained for the next 24 years.
In Germany he regularly exhibited with galleries in Hamburg, Munich and Salzburg and his work was also purchased for numerous public collections. Ian moved back to England in 2008 and now works from his studio in Poole, Dorset. He exhibits regularly around the country and his work hangs in many private and corporate collections worldwide.