Originally from Blenheim, Wayne Sinclair grew up in the days before television. "Everyone listened to the radio at night and young people tended to draw. I was always keen on drawing and when I was about eleven my parents bought me a book on how to draw. Maybe they thought I showed promise and they were keen to encourage me."

On leaving school Wayne worked as a display artist. He became proficient at window dressing, background painting, paper mache model-making, animated displays and sign writing.

During his free time he painted, later moving his young family to Hamilton and working as a display artist for the Milne and Choice department store.

In 1972 he won the New Zealand Breweries Art Award and took up painting full time. "I have always painted landscapes. I am an outdoors type of person. I used to be involved in sport. I find that nature and the outdoors inspire me."