Owen Waters was born in Acle, Norfolk in 1916. He received no formal training but had the benefit of the guidance of such esteemed painters as Arnesby Brown and Campbell Mellon. However, it was his friendship with Edward Seago that was to provide the greatest bearing upon his work and his influence can be clearly seen. After active service in the Second World War, he returned to Acle and from 1970 onwards devoted himself to painting, producing impressionistic views, mainly of the Norfolk Broads, often captured from his boat, Bessie Belle.