David Fisher (artist)
Encyclopedia
David Fisher is an award-winning English artist and designer based in Midsomer Norton
, Somerset. He was a prolific designer and painter of pub signs before securing a unique commission to create vast murals to improve UK service stations. He has won many awards including the Holburne Museum of Art's
portrait award. His work has been praised by Victoria Glendinning
, Humphrey Ocean
RA
and John Leighton, Director of the National Galleries of Scotland
.
. From 1966–1970 he attended the West of England College of Art, now the School of Creative Arts, Bristol. He then went self-employed as a freelance artist and designer.
, painting pictorial pub signs for Courage Brewery and Butcombe Brewery. In this role he designed and created signs for pubs in Somerset
, Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire
and South Wales
. He completed almost 400 signs in a fifteen year period.
In the 1980s he commenced a ten-year period producing large scale murals for Trusthouse Forte's Welcome Break
service areas on the country's motorway network. Fourteen were created, some measuring over sixty feet in length and eight feet high, setting a decorative theme for each site depending on its location. Some depicted local historical events, others recorded local battles, while some just informed travellers of attractions in that part of the country. These were placed in the following service station locations:
It is even possible to purchase prints of some of the service station murals.
During this period, he also undertook a number of notable commissions, including working for RoadChef
, Saudi Arabia Air Force, The Personalised Plates website, Qaboos bin Said al Said, the Sultan of Oman
, National Giro and the Property Services Agency
.
After working for 25 years in the corporate field, he moved towards more personal choices for his art, specialising in detailed landscapes, seascapes and portraits in both oil and watercolour.
In 2008 he won the Holburne Museum of Art's
biennial portrait competition for Dead Man Posing, a portrait of Philip Ledbury from Frome
, an artist who had been diagnosed with leukaemia. The prize was a commission of £5,000 for a portrait to be added to the Holburne’s collection of portraiture. The panel of judges included the author Victoria Glendinning
, John Leighton, Director of the National Galleries of Scotland
and the artist Humphrey Ocean
RA
. They presented the award to him at a ceremony on 17 October.
He regulatly exhibits his work, and belongs to the Old Bakery Artists group that has been meeting monthly in Radstock
since 2000.
and elsewhere, as well as by the BBC
and arts media.
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Somerset. He was a prolific designer and painter of pub signs before securing a unique commission to create vast murals to improve UK service stations. He has won many awards including the Holburne Museum of Art's
Holburne Museum of Art
The Holburne Museum of Art is in Sydney Pleasure Gardens, Sydney Place, in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England.-History:...
portrait award. His work has been praised by Victoria Glendinning
Victoria Glendinning
The Hon. Victoria Glendinning, CBE , is a British biographer, critic, broadcaster and novelist; she is President of English PEN, a winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, was awarded a CBE in 1998 and is Vice-President of the Royal Society of Literature.- Biography :She was born in Sheffield...
, Humphrey Ocean
Humphrey Ocean
-Biography:Humphrey Ocean was born Humphrey Anthony Erdeswick Butler-Bowdon, on 22 June 1951 in Sussex, England, and went to art schools in Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Canterbury...
RA
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...
and John Leighton, Director of the National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
.
Early life
From 1961 – 1966 he served an apprenticeship as a signwriter and decorator for F.Speed and Sons in Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
. From 1966–1970 he attended the West of England College of Art, now the School of Creative Arts, Bristol. He then went self-employed as a freelance artist and designer.
Career
After leaving West of England College of Art he started a business at his home at the Hole in the Wall, Church Square, Midsomer NortonMidsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, painting pictorial pub signs for Courage Brewery and Butcombe Brewery. In this role he designed and created signs for pubs in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
and South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. He completed almost 400 signs in a fifteen year period.
In the 1980s he commenced a ten-year period producing large scale murals for Trusthouse Forte's Welcome Break
Welcome Break
Welcome Break is a company which operates thirty-five motorway service stations in the UK. It is the second largest motorway service area operator behind Moto.-History:...
service areas on the country's motorway network. Fourteen were created, some measuring over sixty feet in length and eight feet high, setting a decorative theme for each site depending on its location. Some depicted local historical events, others recorded local battles, while some just informed travellers of attractions in that part of the country. These were placed in the following service station locations:
- London Heathrow Terminal 4London Heathrow Terminal 4London Heathrow Terminal 4 is an airport terminal at London Heathrow Airport, serving the British capital city of London. It is situated to the south of the southern runway next to the cargo terminal, and is connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 by the Heathrow Cargo Tunnel.Built at a cost of £200...
- Dover Eastern Docks
- Gretna GreenGretna GreenGretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings. It is in Dumfries and Galloway, near the mouth of the River Esk and was historically the first village in Scotland, following the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh. Gretna Green has a railway station serving...
- Abington servicesAbington servicesAbington services is a motorway service station near the town of Abington, Scotland. The service station is located next to the M74 motorway and is accessed using motorway junction 13 in both the northbound and southbound directions. It is owned by Welcome Break. In a 2001 survey by Which,...
- Hartshead Moor servicesHartshead Moor servicesHartshead Moor services is a motorway service station on the M62 in West Yorkshire. It is the highest service station in the United Kingdom.-1974 coach bombing:...
- Membury services
- Michaelwood servicesMichaelwood servicesMichaelwood services is a motorway service station between junctions 13 and 14 of the M5 motorway north of Bristol, located close to the towns of Wotton-under-Edge and Dursley in Gloucestershire....
- Woodall servicesWoodall servicesWoodall services is a motorway service station on the M1 motorway near Sheffield. It lies between junctions 30 and 31. It was opened in 1968 by Trust House Forte but was renamed Welcome Break after the takeover of the company....
- Newport Pagnell services
- Pease Pottage servicesPease Pottage servicesPease Pottage services is a motorway service station on the M23 motorway near Crawley in West Sussex, southern England. It is owned by Moto. Facilities on the site include a Marks & Spencer store, Burger King and a Costa Coffee...
- CopdockCopdockCopdock is a small settlement in Suffolk, England. It is southwest of Ipswich.It is located on the former A12 road which was blocked off at White's Corner after the construction of the Copdock Interchange and the A14 road Ipswich bypass....
, IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell... - Sedgemoor servicesSedgemoor servicesSedgemoor services is a motorway service station on the M5 motorway near the village of Rooks Bridge in Somerset, England. The location of the services can be identified from a long distance because of their proximity to Brent Knoll, an isolated hill on the Somerset Levels.The northbound station is...
It is even possible to purchase prints of some of the service station murals.
During this period, he also undertook a number of notable commissions, including working for RoadChef
RoadChef
Roadchef is a company which operates twenty motorway service areas in the UK. Behind Moto and Welcome Break, it is the third largest motorway service area operator .-History:...
, Saudi Arabia Air Force, The Personalised Plates website, Qaboos bin Said al Said, the Sultan of Oman
Sultan of Oman
-List of Imams :-Nabhan Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Banu Ghafir Dynasty :-Ya'ariba Dynasty :-Al Said Dynasty :-See also:...
, National Giro and the Property Services Agency
Property Services Agency
The Property Services Agency was an agency of the United Kingdom government, in existence from 1972 to 1993. Its role was to “provide, manage, maintain, and furnish the property used by the government, including defence establishments, offices, courts, research laboratories, training centres and...
.
After working for 25 years in the corporate field, he moved towards more personal choices for his art, specialising in detailed landscapes, seascapes and portraits in both oil and watercolour.
Holburne Museum of Art
The Holburne Museum of Art is in Sydney Pleasure Gardens, Sydney Place, in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England.-History:...
biennial portrait competition for Dead Man Posing, a portrait of Philip Ledbury from Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
, an artist who had been diagnosed with leukaemia. The prize was a commission of £5,000 for a portrait to be added to the Holburne’s collection of portraiture. The panel of judges included the author Victoria Glendinning
Victoria Glendinning
The Hon. Victoria Glendinning, CBE , is a British biographer, critic, broadcaster and novelist; she is President of English PEN, a winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, was awarded a CBE in 1998 and is Vice-President of the Royal Society of Literature.- Biography :She was born in Sheffield...
, John Leighton, Director of the National Galleries of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland
The National Galleries of Scotland are the five national galleries of Scotland and two partner galleries. It is one of the country's National Collections.-List of national galleries:* The National Gallery of Scotland* The Royal Scottish Academy Building...
and the artist Humphrey Ocean
Humphrey Ocean
-Biography:Humphrey Ocean was born Humphrey Anthony Erdeswick Butler-Bowdon, on 22 June 1951 in Sussex, England, and went to art schools in Tunbridge Wells, Brighton and Canterbury...
RA
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...
. They presented the award to him at a ceremony on 17 October.
He regulatly exhibits his work, and belongs to the Old Bakery Artists group that has been meeting monthly in Radstock
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
since 2000.
Exhibitions
- Royal West of England AcademyRoyal West of England AcademyThe Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
Autumn Exhibition, 2009. - Royal United HospitalRoyal United HospitalThe Royal United Hospital is a major acute hospital, located in the Weston suburb of Bath, England, which lies approximately miles west of the Bath city centre. The hospital currently has 565 beds and occupies a site...
, 2009. - Bel-Ami Gallery, HonitonHonitonHoniton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
, Devon, 2008. - The Gallery, StourheadStourheadStourhead is a 2,650 acre estate at the source of the River Stour near Mere, Wiltshire, England. The estate includes a Palladian mansion, the village of Stourton, gardens, farmland, and woodland...
, 2010 - Holburne Museum of ArtHolburne Museum of ArtThe Holburne Museum of Art is in Sydney Pleasure Gardens, Sydney Place, in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England.-History:...
, Bath, 2008 - Royal Society of Portrait PaintersRoyal Society of Portrait PaintersThe Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a British association of portrait painters which holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London...
, annual exhibition, the Mall Galleries, Carlton House TerraceCarlton House TerraceCarlton House Terrace refers to a street in the St. James's district of the City of Westminster in London, England, and in particular to two terraces of white stucco-faced houses on the south side of the street overlooking St. James's Park. These terraces were built in 1827–32 to overall designs by...
, London, 2008 - Wells and Mendip MuseumWells and Mendip MuseumThe Wells and Mendip Museum is a small museum next to Wells Cathedral in the city of Wells. It is a registered charity and an accredited member of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The exhibits include items of local history and archaeological finds...
, 2009 - Rook Lane ChapelRook Lane ChapelRook Lane Chapel was a place of worship, and is now an arts centre, in Frome, Somerset, England.Built in 1707, the chapel was the place of worship for nonconformists, however congregations dwindled and it closed in the 1960s. It was sold to developers but they were unable to get planning permission...
, Frome, 2009
Honours
- Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Painter-StainersWorshipful Company of Painter-StainersThe Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. An organisation of stainers, or painters of metals and wood, is known to have existed as early as 1268. A similar organisation of painters, who generally worked on cloth, existed as early as 1283...
. - Associate of the Institute of British Decorators and Interior Designers (later incorporated into the Chartered Society of DesignersChartered Society of DesignersThe Chartered Society of Designers , headquartered in London, England, is the professional body for designers. It is the world's only Royal chartered body of professional designers...
). - Selected for the Royal Society of Portrait PaintersRoyal Society of Portrait PaintersThe Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a British association of portrait painters which holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London...
annual exhibition
Awards
- Shortlisted for the Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
"Not the Turner Prize" award, 2003. - Eight times winner of 'The Most Popular Picture in the Show' at the Royal Bath & West of England Society's annual show
- Winner of the 2008 Holburne Portrait Prize for Dead Man Posing. He won a £5,000 commission to paint a portrait for the Museum's collection from the Holburne Museum of ArtHolburne Museum of ArtThe Holburne Museum of Art is in Sydney Pleasure Gardens, Sydney Place, in the Bathwick area of Bath, Somerset, England.-History:...
in Bath, Somerset - Winner of the Royal West of England AcademyRoyal West of England AcademyThe Royal West of England Academy is an art gallery where Queens Road meets Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, England.- History :The Academy was the first art gallery in Bristol. Its foundation was financed by a bequest of £2000 in the will of Ellen Sharples in 1849, and a group of artists in...
Award for his Reflections on 2019, 2007
Media coverage
His work has frequently been covered by local newspapers and magazines in Bath, SomersetSomerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and elsewhere, as well as by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and arts media.
External links
- http://www.davidfisherartist.co.uk/