West Fraser’s art is naturalistic, created by a feeling for the beauty and moods of nature combined with a subject for expression. His realistic watercolors depict the towns, ports, homes, marshes, and beaches of the land; each with a distinctive understanding of the light, color, details, atmosphere, time and season of the landscape This is apparent in his second series of limited edition prints entitled the Sporting Art series.

Whether his subject is an active urban harbor or a quiet countryside; Fraser’s goal is to evoke what he calls “a sense of place,” an objective and expressive visualization of the look, character and feel of a particular subject. His work is the realization of this goal, brought alive for the viewer through the artist’s thoughtful and inspired observation and rendering.

West Fraser's realistic watercolors are his personal means of documenting the ever-changing coast. Characteristic in his work is a romance with the salt water environments. Thus far Fraser's subjects range from the Southeastern Sea Islands of his childhood and Maine's coastal villages to the varied shores of the West Coast. Each painting captures light, creates mood, and reflects a moment in history. The artist has the ability to make the viewer feel as though he has just sailed into a new port and is ready to set anchorage.

Recently West's watercolors were in simultaneous shows, "Siren Call of Sea and Sail" at Grand Central Art Gallery in New York City and "Marine Paintings" at Montgomery Gallery in San Francisco. Numerous successful one-man shows and national exhibits are also to his credit, including Mystic Maritime Gallery's "Annual International Exhibition" in which he won and award of excellence. Juried New York City group shows are Knickerbocker Artists, Salamagundi Club, and the Allied Artists of America, the last of which awarded the artist the John Young-Hunter Memorial. With the Mary L. Litt Medal, West's work was recognized by The American Watercolor Society. He is a member of the American Society of Marine artists, last showing in their 8th National Exhibition at the Mariner's Museum in Newport News. Both Spring 1985 Nautical Quarterly and Boating Magazine have featured Fraser's paintings.

Born in the port city of Savannah, Georgia, West moved his family to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1981 to pursue a career as an illustrator in New York City, but soon found the fine arts more to his liking. After three years of northern coastal exploration he has returned south to live and paint in Charleston, South Carolina. West spends about three months of the year traveling the East, Gulf, and West coasts looking for fresh material.