It is not surprising that Bridport is filled with inspirational and talented people, recognised worldwide with a large following.

And West Bay is lucky to be home to world-renowned artist Philip Sutton RA.

He recently exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Show this year, which was delayed due to the coronavirus. But Covid-19 didn't put off collectors and fans snapping up his artwork, with five of his six pieces selling for handsome sums.

He said it was an 'honour and a pleasure' to exhibit, although he has been a member of the Royal Academy for more than 30 years.

To say he is internationally recognised is an understatement, as well as exhibitions in London, Paris, Sydney and Chicago, his work has been displayed at The Royal Academy, The Tate, The Globe, The Welsh Assembly, Kensington Palace and the UK Parliament.

Born in 1928 in Dorset, Mr Sutton left school at 14 and briefly worked at a drawing office before completing his national service during the Berlin Airlift.

After attending the Slade School of Arts, his use of colour and artwork quickly attracted attention.

He was asked to become a Royal Academician in 1988 and since then has designed cutlery, posters and postcards for the organisation.

He has travelled all over the world with his family – his late wife Heather and four children – including the Pacific, Fiji, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Israel and more, but likes to be near home.

Mr Sutton said: "The way I work is – I have discovered looking back over the years – I have never been far from the kitchen, I have to be near home.

"My favourite place is wherever I am. I am sitting in Harbour House at West Bay and the sun is coming through the door and it is my favourite place.

"I travelled because I am interested in people, it has nothing to do with painting as such, I don't travel to paint, I'm interested in different societies and how people live. We lived in France for a year, I had a scholarship, and it was very interesting as I had never been abroad before. It's very interesting to see how other human beings behave in different climates and society.

"I'm very interested in prehistoric things they have found in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, either stone carvings or they have dug them up and discovered them. I am interested in the pre-history of art."

During his scholarship in France, his wife was also a student and they went camping.

"One of the places we went to was Lascaux. The caves had only been discovered about three years before. We camped outside the caves and it made a nice impression on me because it was nothing to do with history, we didn't know what the paintings were for and what the figures were for.

"It made an enormous impression on me because there are human beings making something with no reference to anything – there was no contemporary content to them.

"The point is we don't actually understand what we're doing and that's the key to my work. I like the mystery and suspense of the unknown.

"There's something about the prehistoric drawings that resonate with me. I find it a lot more interesting than abstract paintings or contemporary things; they are not significant to me."

Mr Sutton recently celebrated his 92nd birthday and continues to paint, being inspired by everything and the life around him.

He said: "I am surrounded by about six months work. I'm lucky to be in good health and I work now as I have always done. That's a form of happiness and I think that's why it's important to me."

The number of prestigious venues and exhibitions his artwork has featured in all across the world is too vast to list but in recent years has exhibited at Bridport Art Centre.

Despite all of this and his successes, he says his biggest achievement is marrying his wife.

He says his advice to people would be to "do and standby what they believe in".