Painter and teacher, a Londoner who took inspiration from atmospheric locations in Britain and abroad. At 13 he was awarded a scholarship to Reigate School of Art; then studied at Croydon Art School, under Fred Dubery; in 1959, moving to Chelsea School of Art, gaining his National Diploma in Design under Vivian Pitchforth. Between 1963–89, when he became a full-time painter, Rod Pearce mainly taught for the Inner London Education Authority. While showing at the New Art Centre, Pearce was asked by the film director John Schlesinger to paint pictures for the set of the 1965 film Darling, starring Julie Christie, who bought most of them. He obtained three large commissions for the liner Queen Mary II, 2003. In that year he had a solo exhibition with The David Curzon Gallery, with which he had long shown, and another, The Thames, with Rowley Gallery Contemporary Arts in 2004.