?Pastels of Bermuda?, featuring artist Dean Walker, opened last night at the Masterworks Gallery.

Mr. Walker, who is from Chicago, has come full circle. He began working with pastels early in his career, moving on to watercolours for more than 25 years before returning to his first love ? pastels.

Mr. Walker trained at the American Academy of Art in Chicago after a stint in Vietnam as a Marine.

?At the Academy I studied with the director and master watercolourist Irving Shapiro who started me in watercolours. I concentrated on watercolours until about five years ago.?

Mr. Walker said he prefers to master one medium before moving on to another.

?About three years ago, I lost the sight in my left eye so it is easier for me to work in mediums that are more tactile and require less reliance on depth perception.?

Mr. Walker said he is inspired by the world?s beauty ? and Bermuda?s.

?When I lived in Chicago, I painted a lot of Midwest scenery ? farms, barns and forests. Here in Bermuda I have changed my pallette to accommodate the striking colours and the brilliant light that were simply not present there.

?As you can see from my work, I love to paint the ocean and the beautiful architecture and the dinghies that saturate the inlets. The dinghies come in a multitude of colours and contrast the sand, water and foliage.?

The current show took him almost a year to complete.

One of Mr. Walker?s paintings, ?Leamington House?, from the collection of Michael and Zoe Butt, drew raves in the current issue of International Artist magazine.

Mr. Walker said he has been made to feel welcome on the local art scene.

?This has inspired me to continue in the type of work that I am doing. I look forward to painting more in this beautiful place.?

The show takes place in the Masterworks West Gallery at the Botanical Gardens.