Norman Whitehead
Encyclopedia
Norman Whitehead was a landscape painter, working mainly around his hometown Alfreton
, Derbyshire
. Active mainly in the 1930s he was greatly influenced by the works of Paul Nash
and the Vorticism
movement, experimenting with form and developing a style which was very much his own.
, who illustrated her article in the newspaper with his paintings, describing his work as 'touched by genius'.
Whitehead's pacifism was now confirmed and he passed the war years driving an ambulance in Derbyshire. Later, however, he regretted his decision not to "stand up to Fascism". This lack of action, the lost war years and the effects of a previous argument with his mother, during which a number of his paintings were destroyed, conspired to frustrate his ambition to become a professional artist and perhaps prevented his becoming recognised in British Modernist art. After 1947 he never painted again.
The majority of Whitehead's paintings were stored in a loft until shortly before his death when he attempted to catalogue them. In 1998 his widow donated his work (1933–1939), perhaps a very few hundred paintings in all, to local museums.
Norman Whitehead's paintings are now on permanent display in a dedicated gallery of the Ilkeston
Erewash Museum.
Alfreton
Alfreton is a town and civil parish in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England, adjoining the Bolsover and North East Derbyshire districts. It was formerly a Norman Manor and later an Urban District. The population of the Alfreton Ward was 7,928 at the 2001 Census...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Active mainly in the 1930s he was greatly influenced by the works of Paul Nash
Paul Nash (artist)
Paul Nash was a British landscape painter, surrealist and war artist, as well as a book-illustrator, writer and designer of applied art. He was the older brother of the artist John Nash.-Early life:...
and the Vorticism
Vorticism
Vorticism, an offshoot of Cubism, was a short-lived modernist movement in British art and poetry of the early 20th century. It was based in London but international in make-up and ambition.-Origins:...
movement, experimenting with form and developing a style which was very much his own.
Biography
In 1938 Whitehead visited London for a pacifist march. He met Mrs Jan Gordon, art critic of The ObserverThe Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, who illustrated her article in the newspaper with his paintings, describing his work as 'touched by genius'.
Whitehead's pacifism was now confirmed and he passed the war years driving an ambulance in Derbyshire. Later, however, he regretted his decision not to "stand up to Fascism". This lack of action, the lost war years and the effects of a previous argument with his mother, during which a number of his paintings were destroyed, conspired to frustrate his ambition to become a professional artist and perhaps prevented his becoming recognised in British Modernist art. After 1947 he never painted again.
The majority of Whitehead's paintings were stored in a loft until shortly before his death when he attempted to catalogue them. In 1998 his widow donated his work (1933–1939), perhaps a very few hundred paintings in all, to local museums.
Norman Whitehead's paintings are now on permanent display in a dedicated gallery of the Ilkeston
Ilkeston
Ilkeston is a town within the Borough of Erewash, in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the River Erewash, from which the local borough takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550...
Erewash Museum.