Colin grew up in Durban, South Africa and graduated from Art School there. A move to Swaziland resulted in him teaching at Waterford/Kamhlaba school for many years. His work was regularly exhibited at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg during this period and he had several one-person shows in South Africa and Swaziland. During this time he was profiled in two books on South African artists.

In 1987 he moved with his family to the United World College in New Mexico, USA where he still lives and teaches and works in his studio. He has exhibited his work in New Mexico and Florida during this time and his work was profiled in Watercolor Magazine in their Winter 2001 special edition on Experimental Approaches to Water Media.

His work is found in many collections including Chase-Manhattan, London; Metal Box Corporation, Johannesburg; Durban Art Gallery, South Africa; Highlands University Collection, Las Vegas; Sir Christopher Newton-Thompson collection, Johannesburg and numerous other collections.