Cecil Collins

Cecil Collins (1908-1989)

Figure, landscape but essentially visionary painter in oil, pastel, watercolour and,  gouache, printmaker and draughtsman, Collins is one of the notable individual figures not uncommon in British art. Born in Plymouth, Devon, Collins won a scholarship while at the Plymouth School of Art which took him to the Royal College of Art in 1927-31. Shortly after leaving the College Collins married Elisabeth Ramsden, also an artist, an important influence on his work. She appeared in his pictures throughout his career. Collins had his first one-man show at the Bloomsbury Gallery in 1935 and in the following year took part in the International Surrealist Exhibition. At Dartington Hall he met the American artist Mark Tobey who fostered his interest in Far Eastearn art and philosophy. From 1951 taught at the Central Sschool of Arts and Crafts for many years, where his influence was outstanding. In 1947 Collins published The Vision of the Fool, the Fool being a recurrent image in his pictures. Designed tapestries and the Icon of Divine Light, for Chichester Cathedral. Many one-man exhibitions, including a major retrospective at the Tate Gallery in 1989 and a commemorative exhibition in 1995. Aberdeen Art Gallery showed selection of Collins' work allocated to it in 2001-2. Tate and other important collections hold examples. Lived in London.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)

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