Bernard Fleetwood-Walker
Encyclopedia
Bernard Fleetwood-Walker (22 March 1893 - 30 January 1965) was an English
artist
and teacher of painting
.
Bernard Fleetwood-Walker (invariably known as B. Fleetwood-Walker) was born on the 22 March 1893 in Birmingham, United Kingdom, a twin and one of five children. His father, William Walker
was an electrical engineer and co-inventor of the Walker-Wilkins battery, while his mother, Electra Amelia (née) Varley was granddaughter of the 19th century watercolourist Cornelius Varley
who, together with his brother John Varley
, had been amongst the founder members of the Royal Watercolour Society
in 1804.
He was educated at Barford Street School and at King Edward’s Grammar School, Five Ways
and went on to train in the arts as a silver
and goldsmith
. Through working as a modeller and on low relief he developed an interest in painting and furthered his studies at the Birmingham School of Art and Crafts, as well as in London
and under Fleury
in Paris
.
During the First World War he served in France
as a sniper
in the Artists' Rifles
and was wounded and gassed. Various studies exist showing he continued to draw while in the army and a fellow soldier, years later in a letter to the artist’s widow, described mural decorations he painted for Christmas 1918 on the wall of a warehouse being used as a mess-hall in the deserted village of Auberchicourt
, near Douai
, using dry colours found in a builder’s yard mixed with ‘the glutinous substance you get from oatmeal porridge’. These materials were ‘food and drink to him’ and he regarded the war years as wasted time.
Returning to Birmingham after the war he married Marjorie White (‘Mickey’) in 1920 and had two sons, Colin and Guy. He taught, first at King Edward’s Grammar School, Aston
where added to his talents he designed remarkably avant-garde
scenery for the school plays, and then, from 1929 as a gifted, respected and influential lecturer at the Birmingham College of Art under Harold Holden. Having been trained at a time when strong drawing and a high level of technical skill was the pre-requisite of a successful career, he excelled as a draughtsman
and through his teaching extolled these virtues in others. He encouraged his students to use every sort of medium to hand, doled out fierce criticism and demanded high standards, and at the same time lectured perceptively on contemporary art movements. He worked prodigiously during this time, exhibiting at the Royal Academy
from 1925, developing his abilities as a practising artist and quickly gaining a reputation not only as a painter of portraits and children but also for the large figurative paintings of the 1930s, many of which are now in public collections.
He had a one-man exhibition at the Ruskin Gallery
, Birmingham in 1927, but showed his work primarily at the societies to which he regularly sent his work. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1946 and a Royal Academician in 1956 – showing a total of 147 works there over the years. He was a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
and the New English Art Club
. Always extremely loyal to his hometown, he declared he was proud to be the only Royal Academician from Birmingham who still lived and worked there, and was particularly pleased to have been elected President of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
(RBSA) in 1950. In 1946 Fleetwood-Walker was elected to the Royal Watercolour Society
consequently fulfilling the conditions of Cornelius Varley
’s will – that the next artist in his family to be a member should inherit Varley’s studio collection.
After his first wife died, he married Dr Peggy Frazer in 1939 and continued to work and teach in Birmingham through to 1956. Each year he would take a group of students from Birmingham to sketch in Cornwall
and was a member of the St Ives Society of Artists (1936-1949). He also went on sketching tours on the continent and exhibited at the Paris Salon
winning both bronze and silver medals. He finally moved to Chelsea so that he could devote more time to the students at the Royal Academy School where he was Assistant Keeper. He died in London on 30 January 1965.
In the introductory essay of the catalogue to the Memorial Exhibition held at the RBSA in 1965, Richard Seddon described his work as follows:
‘He allowed his style to develop to the full and kept moving throughout his active life as an artist; and from the drawing and painting of a conceptual clarity based on his disciplined skill with line, he progressed to a visual intensity that synthesised light, space and tactile qualities as unified images laid on the canvas with a spontaneity and breadth unsurpassed by many of his British contemporaries.’
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and teacher of painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
.
Bernard Fleetwood-Walker (invariably known as B. Fleetwood-Walker) was born on the 22 March 1893 in Birmingham, United Kingdom, a twin and one of five children. His father, William Walker
William Walker
William Walker may refer to:* William Walker , sometime chief of the Wyandot Nation in Ohio and Kansas* William Walker * William Walker , an early governor of British Guiana...
was an electrical engineer and co-inventor of the Walker-Wilkins battery, while his mother, Electra Amelia (née) Varley was granddaughter of the 19th century watercolourist Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley was an English water-colour painter.-Biography:Varley was born at Hackney, London, on the 21 November 1781. He was a younger brother of John Varley, a watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake, he was born in Hackney, London...
who, together with his brother John Varley
John Varley (painter)
John Varley was an English watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake. They collaborated in 1819–1820 on the book Visionary Heads, written by Varley and illustrated by Blake...
, had been amongst the founder members of the Royal Watercolour Society
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
in 1804.
He was educated at Barford Street School and at King Edward’s Grammar School, Five Ways
King Edward VI Five Ways
King Edward VI Five Ways is a selective, humanities specialist grammar school located in the Bartley Green area of south Birmingham, England. As of April 2008, the school has a second specialism, a specialist Science College.-Background:...
and went on to train in the arts as a silver
Silversmith
A silversmith is a craftsperson who makes objects from silver or gold. The terms 'silversmith' and 'goldsmith' are not synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product varies greatly as does the scale of objects created.Silversmithing is the...
and goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
. Through working as a modeller and on low relief he developed an interest in painting and furthered his studies at the Birmingham School of Art and Crafts, as well as in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and under Fleury
Fleury
Fleury can refer to:* Abbo of Fleury abbot of the monastery of Fleury* Andrew of Fleury, historian from the monstery of Fleury* Cardinal André-Hercule de Fleury, Bishop of Fréjus , chief minister of Louis XV of France...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
During the First World War he served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
in the Artists' Rifles
Artists' Rifles
The Artists Rifles is a volunteer regiment of the British Army. Raised in London in 1859 as a volunteer light infantry unit, the regiment saw active service during the Boer Wars and World War I, earning a number of battle honours; however, it did not serve outside of Britain during World War II, as...
and was wounded and gassed. Various studies exist showing he continued to draw while in the army and a fellow soldier, years later in a letter to the artist’s widow, described mural decorations he painted for Christmas 1918 on the wall of a warehouse being used as a mess-hall in the deserted village of Auberchicourt
Auberchicourt
Auberchicourt is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-References:*...
, near Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
, using dry colours found in a builder’s yard mixed with ‘the glutinous substance you get from oatmeal porridge’. These materials were ‘food and drink to him’ and he regarded the war years as wasted time.
Returning to Birmingham after the war he married Marjorie White (‘Mickey’) in 1920 and had two sons, Colin and Guy. He taught, first at King Edward’s Grammar School, Aston
King Edward VI Aston
King Edward VI Aston School is a selective, all-boys' grammar school and specialist Sports College. The school, designed by Birmingham architect J.A. Chatwin, opened in 1883 and is still located on its original site, in the Aston area of Birmingham, England....
where added to his talents he designed remarkably avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
scenery for the school plays, and then, from 1929 as a gifted, respected and influential lecturer at the Birmingham College of Art under Harold Holden. Having been trained at a time when strong drawing and a high level of technical skill was the pre-requisite of a successful career, he excelled as a draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
and through his teaching extolled these virtues in others. He encouraged his students to use every sort of medium to hand, doled out fierce criticism and demanded high standards, and at the same time lectured perceptively on contemporary art movements. He worked prodigiously during this time, exhibiting at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
from 1925, developing his abilities as a practising artist and quickly gaining a reputation not only as a painter of portraits and children but also for the large figurative paintings of the 1930s, many of which are now in public collections.
He had a one-man exhibition at the Ruskin Gallery
Ruskin Gallery
The Ruskin Gallery is a gallery within the Millennium Galleries in Sheffield, England.It houses a collection of minerals, paintings, ornithological prints, drawings, manuscripts and architectural plaster casts assembled by John Ruskin....
, Birmingham in 1927, but showed his work primarily at the societies to which he regularly sent his work. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1946 and a Royal Academician in 1956 – showing a total of 147 works there over the years. He was a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a British association of portrait painters which holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London...
, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters
Royal Institute of Oil Painters
The Royal Institute of Oil Painters, also known as ROI, is an association of painters in London and is the only major art society which features work done only in oil. It is a member society of the Federation of British Artists.-History:...
and the New English Art Club
New English Art Club
The New English Art Club was founded in London in 1885 as an alternate venue to the Royal Academy.-History:Young English artists returning from studying art in Paris mounted the first exhibition of the New English Art Club in April 1886...
. Always extremely loyal to his hometown, he declared he was proud to be the only Royal Academician from Birmingham who still lived and worked there, and was particularly pleased to have been elected President of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists or RBSA is a learned society of artists and an art gallery based in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, England. it is both a registered charity. and a registered company The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists or RBSA is a learned society of artists and an...
(RBSA) in 1950. In 1946 Fleetwood-Walker was elected to the Royal Watercolour Society
Royal Watercolour Society
The Royal Watercolour Society is an English institution of painters working in watercolours...
consequently fulfilling the conditions of Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley
Cornelius Varley was an English water-colour painter.-Biography:Varley was born at Hackney, London, on the 21 November 1781. He was a younger brother of John Varley, a watercolour painter and astrologer, and a close friend of William Blake, he was born in Hackney, London...
’s will – that the next artist in his family to be a member should inherit Varley’s studio collection.
After his first wife died, he married Dr Peggy Frazer in 1939 and continued to work and teach in Birmingham through to 1956. Each year he would take a group of students from Birmingham to sketch in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and was a member of the St Ives Society of Artists (1936-1949). He also went on sketching tours on the continent and exhibited at the Paris Salon
Paris Salon
The Salon , or rarely Paris Salon , beginning in 1725 was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, France. Between 1748–1890 it was the greatest annual or biannual art event in the Western world...
winning both bronze and silver medals. He finally moved to Chelsea so that he could devote more time to the students at the Royal Academy School where he was Assistant Keeper. He died in London on 30 January 1965.
In the introductory essay of the catalogue to the Memorial Exhibition held at the RBSA in 1965, Richard Seddon described his work as follows:
‘He allowed his style to develop to the full and kept moving throughout his active life as an artist; and from the drawing and painting of a conceptual clarity based on his disciplined skill with line, he progressed to a visual intensity that synthesised light, space and tactile qualities as unified images laid on the canvas with a spontaneity and breadth unsurpassed by many of his British contemporaries.’
External links
- www.fleetwood-walker.co.uk, a searchable archive of Bernard Fleetwood-Walker's drawings and finished works by Nicola Walker and Chris Quirk