Kentmere House gallery - Current exhibition

David Fowkes celebrated his 90th birthday in December 2009, and has lived in York for nearly 30 years. He writes:

“My life as a painter, like that of many, began as a vague boyhood wish. But I had some advantages – both parents were artists and our family home, through most of my childhood and beyond, was the wing of an art gallery.

My mother was an accomplished painter of landscape and flowers & my father was the Head of Eastbourne School of Art. He led a distinguished staff, including the painter Eric Ravilious. Towards the end of the twenties, my father was appointed the first curator of the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne & we lived in the adjoining house. So, as a child, I was able to learn from simple observation how exhibitions were put together, along with the technicalities of mounting and framing. In addition I learnt the importance of being open to new ideas and the many ways they may be expressed.

In 1938 I went up to Reading University and enrolled for a degree in fine art (painting). My studies were interrupted by the war in 1940 when I joined the Royal Artillery. I remained with them for six years, the last three years of which I spent in Italy. Despite the war, my love of Italy was born.

After demob. I returned to the University for two years. Then I taught for two years at Winchester School of Art and for thirty years at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen. In 1981 my wife Lorna and I moved to York.

Whether in Yorkshire, the far North West of Scotland, Amsterdam, Italy or other places, I always have a notebook to draw and record tonal and colour relationships. Back in the studio in the winter (and sometimes years later) I select a drawing which I think could make a painting. I carefully transfer the drawing exactly to the canvas. I believe that what made me draw a particular set of relationships in the first place must be accurately repeated on the canvas. Then as the painting develops changes, sometimes small sometimes very big may happen – but all is in response to ones initial visual excitement. Painting is a mysterious business.”

April 2008 Work in the collections of: HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Scottish Art Council Rowntree Mackintosh (Nestle), York Aberdeen Art Gallery

"David Fowkes with one of his pictures of Italy"

"Street in Sienna"

"The Innocenti Florence"

"Venice Salute Canal Grande"

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