William Bowyer RA: Watercolours
Until 24 Oct 2008
In the Sir Hugh Casson Room for Friends of the Royal Academy
Free
William Bowyer RA, Rainstorm over the Roaches, 1975. Watercolour, 28" x 32”. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Prudence Cuming Associates
Bill Bowyer's work communicates with us directly. It gives us a way of seeing the world, and above all it is life enhancing
- Ken Howard RA
William Bowyer was born in 1926 in Leek, Staffordshire. He trained at Burslem School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London, where his tutors included painters Carel Weight and Ruskin Spear. Bowyer works in the tradition of English figurative painting; and throughout the years, English landscape painters, particularly Constable and Turner, have strongly inspired his work.
In 1971, he became the Head of Fine Art at Maidstone College of Art, where he remained until 1982. In 1973, Bowyer was elected as an associate of the Royal Academy of Arts and was then elected as a Royal Academician in 1981. Bowyer is also a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and, for thirty years, he was a leading figure in the New English Art Club. In 1963, he won the City of London Art Award.
The River Thames and the Suffolk coast are often themes in Bowyer’s work, while his love of cricket has also been a main focus. In 1988, the National Portrait Gallery acquired his portraits of miners’ leader, Arthur Scargill, and cricketer, Viv Richards. That same year, the MCC commissioned him to paint the bi-centenary game at Lord’s Ground.
Throughout his career, Bowyer has consistently painted directly from life favouring North Suffolk (his place of birth) and East Anglia to find inspiration and to work. Having said that he has “never been a purist” in his painting processes, Bowyer has gained much understanding by studying the stylistic choices of Japanese and Chinese painters.
This exhibition presents a range of work made throughout Bowyer’s career as a painter. All of the works are available for sale.
Opening times
Open to the public daily
4–6pm, Fridays until 10pm
Admission free
