Paul Coney was born in Zimbabwe in 1957. His family immigrated to New Zealand when he was five years old and Coney was educated at St. Peter's School, Cambridge prior to living in Dunedin.

Coney began painting professionally at twenty years of age and is entirely self taught. He first attracted public recognition in 1987 when he was chosen as the official artist for the America's Cup Challenge by the Bank of New Zealand sponsors. A successful watercolourist, Coney taught, worked and exhibited in this medium for over twenty years.

Today Coney works on large scale canvases in oil. These dramatically beautiful florals have been hugely successful with sales worldwide. It is a theme Coney continues to explore and develop.