Neil Hopkins was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1942.He gained a First Class Honours Diploma in Industrial Ceramic Design at the North Staffordshire College of Advanced Technology. In 1964 he moved to a joint course of Manchester School of Art and Manchester University School of Education and gained an Art Teacher's Diploma & Certificate. Neil then became Resident Designer for the Empire Porcelain Company, moving onto work for ICI and their 'Vymura' design team. However by 1976 he decided he had had enough of industry and moved to small holding in Wales and concentrated on developing his talent for watercolours. Since then his work has sold to all corners of the world and as one of North Wales' leading watercolourists, he regularly exhibits throughout Wales and into England. In recent years he has added chalk pastels to his output.