Images

Sir William Nicholson 1872 – 1949

Nicholson was a painter and printmaker. He produced his alphabetical series in the late 1890s. I love the bold simplicity of image, reduced colour palate and the simple almost Pop Art line.
http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=1703&page=1


Hilla Becher and Bernd Becher 1913 - 2007

As with the work of Blossfeldt – the Bechers took photographs thematically and in series. Water Towers, Blast Furnaces and other industrial sites were their subjects. Each subject is a beautiful photograph but for me the sum total is much greater.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernd_and_Hilla_Becher
http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/02/artphotogallery/photographers/bernd_and_hilla_becher_01.html

Albrecht Durer 1471- 1528

I am a draughtsman but when I see the work of Albrecht Durer or Hans Holbein I wince at my lack of skill.
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/d/durer/index.html


Karl Blossfeldt 1865 - 1932

For me not just a great photographer but like me he was interested in photographing in series. He specialised in photographing plant elements – seeds, stems, pods and so on.
http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/02/artphotogallery/texte/blossfeldt_text.html
http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/02/artphotogallery/photographers/karl_blossfeldt_01.html

Edward Ardizzone 1900 – 1979

Edward Ardizzone was the illustrator of my childhood. I remember Struwwelpeter and Wind in the Willows I remember illustrators such as Beatrix Potter, Edmund Dulac, Gustav Dore, Arthur Rackham, Kate Greenaway, Eric Searle, Heath Robinson, Rowland Emmett but most of all Edward Ardizzone.

http://www.chrisbeetles.com/pictures/artists/Ardizzone_Edward/Ardizzone_Edward.htm

Patrick Caulfield 1936 – 2005

I became interested in the work of Caulfield shortly after leaving school. As a child of the 60s I had grown up with the period of Pop Art and Pop Music. Here was something more detached – Still simple and bold but more serious - Less jocular. When I first became aware of his work in the early 1970’s I had no Idea I would meet him.
http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=873&page=1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2005/oct/03/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries

Peter Blake b. 1932

London in the 1960s. Wow! Swinging London. I bought my copy of Babe Rainbow for £1 in 1967 in Carnaby Street. Babe Rainbow was the invention of Peter Blake a mythical wrestler. She was printed on tin by Dodo Designs. I also bought a Victorian Policemen's cape in Carnaby Street and wore it all that winter.

Edward Bawden 1903 – 1989

Kyffin Williams introduced me to the work of Edward Bawden in the mid 1960’s. In 1967 I went to Bawden’s studio in Suffolk and took tea and talked with him. I then purchased a lino cut of St Paul’s Cathedral which I still own.
http://www.cecilhigginsartgallery.org/bawden/eb_exhibitions.htm

Kyffin Williams RA 1918 - 2006

Kyffin was my art teacher at school – a wonderful kind, generous man and an important artist in his own right. He taught me about seeing and recording and artistic judgement. I was also taught by Anthony Green RA and Andrew Dear (who has proved difficult to find on Google.) Kyffin Williams left me with an important grounding, interest in the making of art and of art history. His own style of image making however has not influenced mine. He made moody images in oils, drawing and in printmaking. Most of his work was made in Anglesea and he was most at home painting bleak Welsh mountainsides in all weathers.

http://www.kyffinwilliams.info/

Richard Hamilton b. 1922
London in the 1950s was a cold grey place. Richard Hamilton originated Pop Art - but to me he was a neighbour. While Dominie, the daughter of RB Kitaj used to take me to school.