Defries will have a painting in the Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition, recognised as the most prestigious and varied exhibition of marine art in the UK. The exhibition's theme is the sea and everything related to it, from beaches and creeks to harbours and boats.

This year it will feature almost 400 works from emerging and well-established artists across a range of media, including oil painting, watercolour, pastels, prints, and sculpture. All work is available for sale.

Defries is a senior partner of Defries Weiss, which he co-founded in 1976, where he specialises in turnarounds, a role which he says ‘is of course creative’.

‘Clearly turnarounds require a creative approach to look outside the box to see what existing management may have missed,’ Defries pointed out. 

However, while he has always been interested in art, Defries says he did not know he had any talent until fairly recently, having taken up art as a means of relaxation on the encouragement of his late wife who was an artist.

Now Defries has just sold his 100th painting and has exhibited in New York, Milan, South of France, Glasgow, Edinburgh and several London galleries including in Cork Street and Maddox Street.
He favours painting in acrylics on canvas, and says he often finds inspiration from the sea. A love for sailing is a common factor in several of his pieces.

Defries appeared on Channel 4 news when a Gaugin exhibition opened in London, as the programme had discovered he was a stockbroker before being an artist and wanted the views of a modern day person in finance who had also turned to art.

‘My partners and staff are happily surrounded in the office/ gallery by some 40 paintings,’ Defries explained.  

The Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition will be on display at Mall Galleries in central London 5 to 14 October 2017.