AN American artist who made west Dorset his spiritual home for more than 50 years has died aged 85.

John Hubbard, 85, mixed a world-class international reputation with an abiding love of his adopted home at Chilcombe near Bridport.

His friends and colleagues have been paying tribute to him.

The Countess of Sandwich, Caroline Montagu was a close friend.

She said: "He absolutely loved Dorset, it was his spiritual home.

"His house at Chilcombe was surrounded by the most wonderful views and the most wonderful sea light.

"John was completely enmeshed in Dorset, He was part of Dorset and Dorset was a part of him, although he kept a sense of American identity and was very well informed about international affairs and had an inquiring mind.

"He was the sort of person that when he came into a room, the room cheers up.

"He was a life-enhancer.

"He was very witty and when in doubt he would start singing.

"He and his wife Caryl had a terrific marriage - their tapestry was very closely woven. He loved people, loved social occasions and loved his wife Caryl and his two children Ed and Kate

"He had a good, long and very well lived life."

Anna Powell, director of Sladers Yard gallery in West Bay also paid tribute to the artist and the man.

She said: "John Hubbard was a passionate advocate for art and culture, never afraid to speak out when he thought something should be conserved and always ready to help and encourage anyone he thought had genuine talent.

"Highly respected as an abstract-expressionist landscape artist himself, he and Caryl gave their considerable support to a great many younger artists and craftspeople through the years.

"For 25 years they have both been much-loved friends and mentors to my husband Petter Southall with his furniture making and to us both with our gallery at Sladers Yard where John exhibited paintings, drawings and works on paper.

"A visit to the Hubbards was always a treat. While you were just taking off your coat you would be met with the smell of wonderful food cooking, of well polished furniture and wood-fires burning and on the table beside the secateurs there were piles of books about art and poetry, gardening and cooking, always things that one had heard about and wanted to read or see.

"John’s garden was and is a thing of wonder and delight. John knew the name and characteristics of every plant from the truly magnificent to the very tiny. He would move through the garden like a tornado, weeding and dead-heading, leaving it miraculously rejuvenated behind him. He loved music which often seemed to be playing in his mind. He loved nature, animals and children and could never resist playing with them and trying to make them laugh.

"Even in heated moments when something was wrong and he was furious, he would say clearly what he thought and then would almost always come round to see the funny side and we’d all end up laughing with relief.

"He was the best of men and we will always miss him."

John Hubbard was born in 1931 in Connecticut, took his BA in English at Harvard in 1953, was based in Japan for his military service from 1953 to 56.

In 1958 he moved to Rome painting still-life and street markets.

In 1960 he moved to England, marrying and settling in Dorset the following year.

Over the following decades he continued to exhibit widely in Britain and America,

He had a passion for gardens, not least his own much-admired one he designed at Chilcombe House and said his garden was essential to him,