Jonathan Myles-Lea

In 2009, Myles-Lea was commissioned to create an oil painting for the cover of Country Life magazine, Dream Acres was the first commissioned painting ever to be featured on the cover of Country Life for the opening issue of their 12-week Dream Acres gardening feature. Country Life publishing director Jean Christie said "This is the first cover of this kind for Country Life in its 112-year history, and the first editorial double gatefold we have produced. This is another example of Country Life breaking with tradition to showcase a magnificent issue."

In July 2009, author and journalist Jonathan Self described Myles-Lea as 'The successor to Stubbs and Constable'

In September 2009, Grosvenor Estates asked Myles-Lea to provide artworks in collaboration with Linley to furnish a recently renovated townhouse in Lower Belgrave Street.

Myles-Lea's main work is his paintings of historic buildings, country houses and their gardens and estates. These are portrayed in a traditional landscape view, and also from an aerial perspective. The landscape paintings are generally in the range of 42" x 30", executed using a miniaturist technique. He has painted portraits of Evelyn H. Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc, (2004), and Brian Avon, Director of Global Visual Merchandising, Aveda, (2004).

Myles-Lea lived and worked in Brussels during 2002. It was during this residency in the Belgian capital that he vigorously promoted his work to mainland European clients building on early successes from commissions such as Kasteel Wylre (commissioned by Marlies & Jo Eyck, 1999). Myles-Lea lived and worked in New York during 2003/4. It was during this period in New York that he continued to develop his painting of abstract pictures building on the influences he had experienced whilst living in Brussels. Myles-Lea occupied a studio in Belsize Park, Hampstead from 2004-2006. The house had previously been the wartime home of the artists Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. Relocating from Hampstead in the latter part of 2006, Myles-Lea took an apartment in Wyndham Place, Marylebone, which was his principal residence and studio until October 2011.

In 1997 Myles-Lea was included in the feature, "Living National Treasures" by Country Life magazine.

In 1996, John Harris, writing for Sotheby's, said:

In 1995, Myles-Lea was commissioned to paint image of 'The Laskett', a large formal garden created by Sir Roy Strong. Shortly afterwards Myles-Lea was commissioned by Gervase Jackson-Stops OBE, a senior advisor to The National Trust to produce a plan of Stowe Landscape Gardens (1995). Patronage by The National Trust continued in the mid 1990s with a commission to produce a series of pen and ink sketches of the house and garden features and a landscape plan of the gardens at Cliveden, Taplow, Buckinghamshire.

In 1992, Myles-Lea left Channel 4 and went to assist a friend for a year in the restoration of two historic buildings in the British countryside. These were, Bettisfield Park, in Hanmer, Wales, a classical house built in 1760, and Plas Teg a Jacobean mansion in Wales. At Bettisfield, he re-created the original gardens and replanted the parkland using surviving plans from the 18th century. He made his first landscape painting, Plas Teg, Clwyd (1992).

Myles-Lea was born in the Lake District in Northwest England. Much of his early life was spent in this region of the UK with walks and outdoor activities. He was introduced to the series of walking guides written and illustrated by Alfred Wainwright. The pen and ink drawings included with these guides were an early influence on Myles-Lea's emerging style. He was educated first at Hutton Grammar School and won an arts scholarship to attend Malvern College in Worcestershire from the ages of 15 until 18; he won the painting prizes in 1985 and his senior year, 1986. In 1988 he traveled extensively in Europe making a modern Grand Tour study of art and architecture. He gained an Honours Degree in 'The History of Art & Architecture' from Westfield College, The University of London in 1991.

Jonathan Myles-Lea (born 1969) is an English painter of country houses, historic buildings, and landscapes, typically taking the form of aerial views. Clients have included Charles, Prince of Wales; and the National Trust of Great Britain.