Anthony Earnshaw
Encyclopedia
Anthony Earnshaw was an English anarchist
, artist, author, and illustrator.
Earnshaw was born in Ilkley
, West Yorkshire. His father, a watchmaker and jeweller, died before he was born. His mother ran the family shop until bankruptcy in 1930, when they moved first to Redcar
and then to Leeds
. There, Earnshaw attended Harehills
School until the age of 14.
He worked as an engineering fitter, later as a lathe turner and a crane driver, while educating himself at the city library. At 20 he became interested in surrealism
and, with his lifelong friend Eric Thacker, devised surreal activities such as boarding and alighting from trains at random. In the early 1960s he met several like-minded people, including Patrick Hughes
, Ian Breakwell
and Glen Baxter
. Hughes persuaded Earnshaw to hold a retrospective at the Leeds Institute in 1966, which was followed by an exhibition in Exeter
, "The Enchanted Domain", to which he was invited by John Lyle.
He began teaching part-time, first at the Harrogate
School of Art, then Bradford
Art School before leaving engineering altogether in 1972 to take up a fellowship at Leeds Polytechnic. He left in 1985 to concentrate on art.
In 1968 he collaborated with Thacker on an illustrated novel, Musrum, which - although not particularly successful commercially - became a cult classic. The book was a fantasy, peppered with aphorisms ("Sudden prayers make God jump"), and told the story of the title character's kingdom and of his battle with the nefarious Weedking. It was followed in 1971 by a sequel, Wintersol, about the secret criminal nature of Father Christmas
. Both books were praised for their elegant writing, wit and wordplay, and especially for their sheer invention.
Later publications included a cartoon in the Times Educational Supplement
, a wheeled bird named Wokker, and books of aphorisms, the largest being Flick Knives and Forks in 1982. In the 1980s and 1990s Earnshaw began making art boxes, further exemplifying his surrealist bent.
Earnshaw died in 2001, survived by his second wife, Gail, and by two daughters from his first marriage.
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
, artist, author, and illustrator.
Earnshaw was born in Ilkley
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, in the north of England. Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the metropolitan borough of Bradford. Approximately north of Bradford, the town lies mainly on the south bank of the River Wharfe...
, West Yorkshire. His father, a watchmaker and jeweller, died before he was born. His mother ran the family shop until bankruptcy in 1930, when they moved first to Redcar
Redcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
and then to Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
. There, Earnshaw attended Harehills
Harehills
Harehills is an inner-city area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is approximately north east of Leeds city centre. Harehills is situated between the A58 and the A64 .- Overview :...
School until the age of 14.
He worked as an engineering fitter, later as a lathe turner and a crane driver, while educating himself at the city library. At 20 he became interested in surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
and, with his lifelong friend Eric Thacker, devised surreal activities such as boarding and alighting from trains at random. In the early 1960s he met several like-minded people, including Patrick Hughes
Patrick Hughes (artist)
Patrick Hughes is a British artist working in London. He is the creator of "reverspective", an optical illusion on a 3-dimensional surface where the parts of the picture which seem farthest away are actually physically the nearest....
, Ian Breakwell
Ian Breakwell
Ian Breakwell was a world renowned British fine artist. He was a prolific artist who took a multi-media approach to his observation of society...
and Glen Baxter
Glen Baxter
Glen Baxter , nicknamed Colonel Baxter, is an English cartoonist, noted for his absurdist drawings and an overall effect often resembling literary nonsense.Born in Leeds, Baxter was trained at the Leeds College of Art...
. Hughes persuaded Earnshaw to hold a retrospective at the Leeds Institute in 1966, which was followed by an exhibition in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, "The Enchanted Domain", to which he was invited by John Lyle.
He began teaching part-time, first at the Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
School of Art, then Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
Art School before leaving engineering altogether in 1972 to take up a fellowship at Leeds Polytechnic. He left in 1985 to concentrate on art.
In 1968 he collaborated with Thacker on an illustrated novel, Musrum, which - although not particularly successful commercially - became a cult classic. The book was a fantasy, peppered with aphorisms ("Sudden prayers make God jump"), and told the story of the title character's kingdom and of his battle with the nefarious Weedking. It was followed in 1971 by a sequel, Wintersol, about the secret criminal nature of Father Christmas
Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the name used in many English-speaking countries for a figure associated with Christmas. A similar figure with the same name exists in several other countries, including France , Spain , Brazil , Portugal , Italy , Armenia , India...
. Both books were praised for their elegant writing, wit and wordplay, and especially for their sheer invention.
Later publications included a cartoon in the Times Educational Supplement
Times Educational Supplement
The Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
, a wheeled bird named Wokker, and books of aphorisms, the largest being Flick Knives and Forks in 1982. In the 1980s and 1990s Earnshaw began making art boxes, further exemplifying his surrealist bent.
Earnshaw died in 2001, survived by his second wife, Gail, and by two daughters from his first marriage.