Painter and illustrator, born in Windsor, Berkshire to Liberal politician Anthony Baliol Brett, a son of Viscount Esher. He studied at St. Martin's School of Art, 1960-64 where he was taught wood engraving by Clifford Webb and painting by Frederick Gore and Peter de Francia. He worked as a painter for several years in New Mexico and Provence, France before turning to teaching in 1971 when he taught at Marlborough School for nearly twenty years.

Until 1980, his work as an engraver was largely short-lived - a monograph on his bookplates was published in 1982 - but after he illustrated several books, some under his own Paulinus Press imprint, and he won a Francis Williams Illustration Award for The Animals of Saint Gregory. Elected an Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 1986 he was also Chairman of the Society of Wood Engravers, a post he held for six years. In 1981 his first book illustrations won a Francis Williams Award and his advertising work also won awards from the commissioning agency. His wood engravings appeared in books by the Folio Society. In 2013 he was given a retrospective exhibition at the Bankside Gallery, London and the Holburne Museum in Bath. He was married to the artist Juliet Wood.

He should not be confused with the playwright of the same name.