Who is the Richmond Virginia painting artist Will Haddon?

Answer 1

Will Haddon was a well known marine artist from Richmond Va. He was well known for, as he would have put it, his birds, boats, beaches and lighthouses. He had also been a jet fighter pilot in the Air Force and occasionally did pictures of airplanes but was best known for his marine paintings.

He was primarily self taught and started drawing as a child. His painting career really began when he traveled the state of Virginia selling gym suits, caps and gowns and choir robes to schools and churches. To relieve the boredom of the hotel room he started painting while he was traveling and would do art shows on the weekends and during summer vacations.

During his time on the road he seldom if ever painted at home. For Will and his family most vacations involved an art show somewhere and he would put the whole family to work helping out at these shows. Will died of leukemia in February 1982, leaving behind a great audience of admirers and friends. I knew Will Haddon and loved him because he was my father.