James Lloyd (artist)
Encyclopedia
Frederick James Lloyd more commonly known as James Lloyd, was an artist. He became famous for his painting
s, mostly of animals and country landscape
s.
He was the first living self-taught Artist to have a painting hung at the Tate in London, titled Cat and Mouse.
He was the son of a policeman who had taken up farming. He had worked on his father's farm until the age of 19, when he too joined the police force. He had a variety of jobs before the war: gas-works stoker; bus conductor; builder's labourer; lamp-lighter; until he was accepted for the famous and exclusive British Army regiment of the Coldstream Guards
. He served with distinction in his regiment overseas during the war. On demobilisation he married Nancy, she was a teenager and he in his forties, he returned to the land and took a job as - a wagonner- in Shropshire. He,his wife and four children bought a small holdings at Triangle, near Halifax, in the Pennines
. Although he had done some paintings as a young man, it was not until he was forty, that he began to paint in earnest.
He and his family moved to Skirpenbeck
, East Riding of Yorkshire
in 1950. He took on the job as a cowman
. There were now so many paintings, laboriously constructed dot by dot (pointillism
). His wife Nancy, who was his severest critic, decided it was time that Jim's work was seen by more people. Without telling Jim she wrote to Sir Herbert Read
and he paid James a visit to see his paintings, and in fact bought a couple of them. Herbert Read sent some to various galleries in London.
In 1958 James held his first one-man show at (the late) Arthur Jeffress Gallery in London. All but 2 of the 32 paintings being held were sold within hours of opening.
The rapidly expanding Lloyd family (eight children, and one who died young) moved to a council house further into the village and Jim took a job with the Derwent Plastics Company at Stamford Bridge
, the money was better and the hours easier, he did shift work so he could paint by day and work by night. He devoted all his spare time (except for the pub) to painting. He never painted in a studio; he would usually just paint in the living room with the children playing around him.
By the early 1960s he had stopped working at the Derwent Plastics factory to paint full time. In 1961 he was commissioned by the York City Art Gallery under the Evelyn Award Scheme to paint the view of Cliffords Tower, York, for the gallery's collection. L.S. Lowry
also produced a painting of Cliffords Tower. At the closure of Arthur Jeffress Gallery, James Lloyd was taken on by the Portal Gallery, where his paintings still remain. His first one man show there was in 1964 followed by others in 1966, 1968 and 1971. He never titled or dated his paintings.
In 1963 Eric Lister of the Portal Gallery introduced James to film director Ken Russell
. The result was that the BBC Monitor series made a television documentary film about his life and work, 'The dotty world of James Lloyd'. Two years later James was chosen to play (with no previous acting experience) the part of Henri Rousseau
in Ken Russells 'Monitor' film on the great French naive painter.
The photographer, David Bailey, bought several paintings by Lloyd and became a very good friend. When his book Goodbye Baby and Amen, an album of Bailey's portraits of celebrities of the 60s was published, Jim featured prominently. He was also commissioned to paint a picture for the Beatles Illustrated Lyrics book.
Other galleries who acquired his work were Leeds City Art Gallery, Bowes Museum and Thomas's College, York. He was also noticed by collectors abroad and his work was collected by Museums and Galleries as far apart as Caracas, Venezuela, and Zacreb, Yugoslavia. He won the International Best Primitive Painter Award in 1973, with his painting Boy with Horse.
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...
s, mostly of animals and country landscape
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
s.
He was the first living self-taught Artist to have a painting hung at the Tate in London, titled Cat and Mouse.
He was the son of a policeman who had taken up farming. He had worked on his father's farm until the age of 19, when he too joined the police force. He had a variety of jobs before the war: gas-works stoker; bus conductor; builder's labourer; lamp-lighter; until he was accepted for the famous and exclusive British Army regiment of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
. He served with distinction in his regiment overseas during the war. On demobilisation he married Nancy, she was a teenager and he in his forties, he returned to the land and took a job as - a wagonner- in Shropshire. He,his wife and four children bought a small holdings at Triangle, near Halifax, in the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. Although he had done some paintings as a young man, it was not until he was forty, that he began to paint in earnest.
He and his family moved to Skirpenbeck
Skirpenbeck
Skirpenbeck is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated north west of Stamford Bridge just north of the A166 road.According to the 2001 UK census, Skirpenbeck parish had a population of 142....
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
in 1950. He took on the job as a cowman
Cowman (profession)
A cowman is a person who works specifically with cattle.-Usage:Usage of the word "cowman" has significant geographic variation, though is sometimes used interchangeably with terms such as "stockman", "cattleman", "rancher" and "grazier."...
. There were now so many paintings, laboriously constructed dot by dot (pointillism
Pointillism
Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of pure color are applied in patterns to form an image. Georges Seurat developed the technique in 1886, branching from Impressionism. The term Pointillism was first coined by art critics in the late 1880s to ridicule the works...
). His wife Nancy, who was his severest critic, decided it was time that Jim's work was seen by more people. Without telling Jim she wrote to Sir Herbert Read
Herbert Read
Sir Herbert Edward Read, DSO, MC was an English anarchist, poet, and critic of literature and art. He was one of the earliest English writers to take notice of existentialism, and was strongly influenced by proto-existentialist thinker Max Stirner....
and he paid James a visit to see his paintings, and in fact bought a couple of them. Herbert Read sent some to various galleries in London.
In 1958 James held his first one-man show at (the late) Arthur Jeffress Gallery in London. All but 2 of the 32 paintings being held were sold within hours of opening.
The rapidly expanding Lloyd family (eight children, and one who died young) moved to a council house further into the village and Jim took a job with the Derwent Plastics Company at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire
Stamford Bridge is a village and civil parish on the River Derwent in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately east of York.-Location and history:The village sits astride an ancient ford on the River Derwent....
, the money was better and the hours easier, he did shift work so he could paint by day and work by night. He devoted all his spare time (except for the pub) to painting. He never painted in a studio; he would usually just paint in the living room with the children playing around him.
By the early 1960s he had stopped working at the Derwent Plastics factory to paint full time. In 1961 he was commissioned by the York City Art Gallery under the Evelyn Award Scheme to paint the view of Cliffords Tower, York, for the gallery's collection. L.S. Lowry
L. S. Lowry
Laurence Stephen Lowry was an English artist born in Barrett Street, Stretford, Lancashire. Many of his drawings and paintings depict nearby Salford and surrounding areas, including Pendlebury, where he lived and worked for over 40 years at 117 Station Road , opposite St...
also produced a painting of Cliffords Tower. At the closure of Arthur Jeffress Gallery, James Lloyd was taken on by the Portal Gallery, where his paintings still remain. His first one man show there was in 1964 followed by others in 1966, 1968 and 1971. He never titled or dated his paintings.
In 1963 Eric Lister of the Portal Gallery introduced James to film director Ken Russell
Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church...
. The result was that the BBC Monitor series made a television documentary film about his life and work, 'The dotty world of James Lloyd'. Two years later James was chosen to play (with no previous acting experience) the part of Henri Rousseau
Henri Rousseau
Henri Julien Félix Rousseau was a French Post-Impressionist painter in the Naïve or Primitive manner. He was also known as Le Douanier , a humorous description of his occupation as a toll collector...
in Ken Russells 'Monitor' film on the great French naive painter.
The photographer, David Bailey, bought several paintings by Lloyd and became a very good friend. When his book Goodbye Baby and Amen, an album of Bailey's portraits of celebrities of the 60s was published, Jim featured prominently. He was also commissioned to paint a picture for the Beatles Illustrated Lyrics book.
Other galleries who acquired his work were Leeds City Art Gallery, Bowes Museum and Thomas's College, York. He was also noticed by collectors abroad and his work was collected by Museums and Galleries as far apart as Caracas, Venezuela, and Zacreb, Yugoslavia. He won the International Best Primitive Painter Award in 1973, with his painting Boy with Horse.
External links
- James Lloyd profile at The Anthony Petullo Collection