Anthony D Blake New Zealand, b. 1951

A.D. Blake was born and resides on the coast of New Zealand. His lifelong fascination with yachting began early, commanding his first yacht, a New Zealand "P" Class dinghy, at the age of six. Since then, he has been actively involved in competitive yacht racing and has developed a deep interest in yacht design and construction.

Anthony Blake holds a Master of Engineering with First Class Honours. It was after completing his university education that he discovered his artistic passion and talent. A self-taught artist, he honed his skills by studying the techniques and works of Old Masters and Impressionist artists whom he greatly admires.

Blake's maritime heritage runs deep, with sailing ship captains in both his and his wife's family histories. His fascination was further fueled by the captivating stories from his wife's grandfather, a sailing ship captain who voyaged around the world. His brother, the late Sir Peter Blake, was a globally respected sailor. Currently, Tony races "Thelma," a 59ft gaff-rigged cutter designed and built in New Zealand in 1897 and meticulously restored in 2006. He recently stepped down as chairman of the New Zealand Classic Yacht Association and remains devoted to preserving these historic vessels.

Blake's paintings have been widely published in books and magazines and are held in numerous corporate and private collections worldwide, including the New York Yacht Club, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and the Herreshoff Marine Museum.