Eric Howard was born in Bermondsey inner city London during the late 1950s. After leaving his secondary modern school education he became an assistant photographer at the age of sixteen.

At eighteen he became a professional photographer, within two years his clients included: The Times, IPC Magazines, National Magazines, Virgin Records, Phonogram Records, and RCA Records. He also sold original prints through Sotheby’s and the Photographers Gallery, London.

1983 - 1986
Eric decided to branch out into publishing calendars. He designed a totally new calendar presentation system using plastics. Amongst the calendars published were:  Lamb’s Navy Rum, The Tate Gallery, Agfa, John Swannell, Bob Carlos Clarke and the Royal Institute of British Architects.

1987 - 1990
Eric sold the copyright for his calendar presentation system and returned to his photographic art: Clients included Lord Palumbo, Viscountess St.Germans, Mrs Sally Cadbury, The Royal Photographic Society and The Financial Times.


-----------------Royal Photographic Award 1995
 
During this period Eric designed and manufactured the Demi-Case, a simple attractive carrying case for Artists & Photographers made from a lightweight corrugated plastic. He also sold this copyright which is now a common place product.

1991 - 1992
Upon request by Mary Gibson, founder of The Romanian Orphans Fund, he covered the orphanage crisis after the collapse of communism.  The resulting photographs were featured in “Time Magazine” raising many thousands of pounds for the fund.

1993 - 1994
Frustrated by the Arts Council who only funded galleries that promoted non commercial work whilst most British Photo artists struggled to survive, he created the publication “PhotoArt for Sale Magazine”. He personally designed the magazine and brought on board many fellow photographic artists and all its sponsors including: Christies, Hamilton’s Gallery, Agfa, Contax, Nikon, Ilford, Conservation Resources, Stephen Cohen Gallery Los Angeles, Leica Cameras, Fuji Film, Kodak and Polaroid. Two years later Eric’s magazine was sold onto another publisher who rebranded it into its own style, unfortunately dropping the aspect of selling photographic originals.

1995 - 1996
The Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme asked Eric Howard to help organise a charity photographic auction at Coutts Bank in The Strand, London, where he was singled out for thanks by Prince Edward who was the Royal representative on the night. In 1995 Eric won the prestigious “Royal Photographic Society Gold Medal” against the competition of thousands of other established photographic talents world wide.

1996 - 2000
Eric Howard devoted most of his time during this period to help protect our rural communities which were under threat from the ban on hunting. He personally wrote to over 300 Labour MP’s and his images were widely published to illustrate how key hunting & shooting was to country communities. A permanent exhibition of Eric’s work hangs in the boardroom of The Countryside Alliance headquarters in London.
Major exhibition at the international consultants “McKinsey & Co” who thereafter decided to buy the entire exhibition for its own collection.
Major exhibition at London’s premier South Bank venue Cotton’s Atrium “The Late 20^th Century”

2001 - 2005
Eric Howard and his new young wife bought two farms in Southern Ireland, including a small mountain. There he spent six years rebuilding several of the land's derelict houses and restoring both farms. He then landscaped the mountain side in preparation for his new studios.
Eleven days after 9/11 a son was born, Charlie O’Brien Howard, but inexplicably he was to lose his hearing at eight months of age. This was a bitter blow to the family, however, buckled, but not broken Eric went onto design and build his Super House & Studios. It used cutting edge modern green technology and incorporated 5 metre high windows overlooking the Kerry Mountains. Despite being 3500 sq feet the house’s carbon footprint was only 10% of a normal domestic house. It is now considered to be one of the best designs on the famous Bera peninsula.
In Dec 2003 a daughter was born, Amber Elora Howard, but within weeks she was also declared to be profoundly deaf. The strain proved too much for Eric’s young wife who left the marriage and returned to England, taking both children with her.

2006 - 2007
Eric decided to walk away from the near complete Super House & farm to follow his children, moving to Wiltshire's beautiful and iconic landscape of “Stourhead Gardens”.
Established back in England Eric started to plan the next chapter of his creative life. This now included his new passion for environmentally friendly architecture as well as the Photographic Art World
Exhibitions: Chelsea Art Club, London and Wiltshire’s Rye Hill Art Space.

2008 - 2010
With the help of Richie Crossley of chicproduction.com, Eric launched his new site: www.erichoward.eu

2009 - 2010 Exhibitions
"Square One Gallery" Kings Road, Chelsea.
"Bath Fine Art" 35 Gay Street, Bath.
"At The Chapel" Bruton, Somerset.
"RAC's Country House" Woodcote, Epsom
"86 Saint James" London, SW1

By Louise Cleveland freelance journalist, Southampton University.

Eric Howard Curriculum Vitae