Barry Driscoll
Encyclopedia
Barrington Lionel "Barry" Driscoll (December 15, 1926 – April 30, 2006) was a British painter, wildlife artist and sculptor.
In 1960 Driscoll painted three large murals in the London Zoo
. A year later he illustrated the inaugural brochure for the World Wildlife Fund. By the mid-1960s Barry's work was appearing regularly in the national press, and he had his own Sunday Express wildlife column. In 1970 Time-Life commissioned him to do a series of paintings of fauna in Arizona
.
, Driscoll was one of four sons of a printer on the Daily Express
. During World War II
his family moved to Shropshire
, where, truant from school, the young Driscoll roamed the countryside and began making sketches from nature. He was a keen reader, and in particular cherished Gilbert White
's Natural History of Selborne.
Driscoll was conscripted into the army, and was commissioned into the Royal Army Service Corps
in 1947. He served as a subaltern in India
, where he "lost" the convoy of which he was in charge, and was severely reprimanded. He later served in the Palestine Mandate, Egypt
, and Northern Ireland
. In 1948 he enrolled at St Martin's School of Art on the British equivalent of the GI Bill. After he graduated from St Martin's with a
national diploma in design,, he won a place at the Royal College of Art
.
He married Kiffi Bowerley, a fellow St Martin's student, in 1951; they had three children (one of whom, Guy, died in 1996). They divorced in 1979.
He launched himself on a career as an illustrator, which stretched on into the 1970s and included many national press campaigns.
By 1982 he became a sculptor, enjoying the technique of working in a three-dimensional medium. He declared that sculpture was easy when compared with painting.
He made many trips to Italy
to oversee his sculptures, forged by the Mariani foundry at Pietrasanta
. His son, Falcon, married an Italian woman, Sabina Coppola, in 2001, further copper-fastening Barry Driscoll's love of Italy.
(SWLA), of which he was a member, and with the Phoenix Gallery in Lavenham
, Suffolk
, although he was not represented by any major commercial gallery. In 2002, he was the principal sculptor in a wildlife show of two- and three-dimensional works which originated at the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Antica e Moderna in Turin, Italy. It travelled then to Barcelona
, then back to the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) in England.
In 1960 Driscoll painted three large murals in the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
. A year later he illustrated the inaugural brochure for the World Wildlife Fund. By the mid-1960s Barry's work was appearing regularly in the national press, and he had his own Sunday Express wildlife column. In 1970 Time-Life commissioned him to do a series of paintings of fauna in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Early years
Born in CamberwellCamberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, Driscoll was one of four sons of a printer on the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
his family moved to Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, where, truant from school, the young Driscoll roamed the countryside and began making sketches from nature. He was a keen reader, and in particular cherished Gilbert White
Gilbert White
Gilbert White FRS was a pioneering English naturalist and ornithologist.-Life:White was born in his grandfather's vicarage at Selborne in Hampshire. He was educated at the Holy Ghost School and by a private tutor in Basingstoke before going to Oriel College, Oxford...
's Natural History of Selborne.
Driscoll was conscripted into the army, and was commissioned into the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
in 1947. He served as a subaltern in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, where he "lost" the convoy of which he was in charge, and was severely reprimanded. He later served in the Palestine Mandate, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In 1948 he enrolled at St Martin's School of Art on the British equivalent of the GI Bill. After he graduated from St Martin's with a
national diploma in design,, he won a place at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
.
He married Kiffi Bowerley, a fellow St Martin's student, in 1951; they had three children (one of whom, Guy, died in 1996). They divorced in 1979.
He launched himself on a career as an illustrator, which stretched on into the 1970s and included many national press campaigns.
By 1982 he became a sculptor, enjoying the technique of working in a three-dimensional medium. He declared that sculpture was easy when compared with painting.
He made many trips to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to oversee his sculptures, forged by the Mariani foundry at Pietrasanta
Pietrasanta
Pietrasanta is a town and comune on the coast of northern Tuscany in Italy, in the province of Lucca. Pietrasanta is part of Versilia, on the last foothills of the Apuan Alps, about 32 km north of Pisa...
. His son, Falcon, married an Italian woman, Sabina Coppola, in 2001, further copper-fastening Barry Driscoll's love of Italy.
Exhibitions
Driscoll was under less pressure to exhibit than many other artists. He did show with the Society of Wildlife ArtistsSociety of Wildlife Artists
The Society of Wildlife Artists is a British organisation for artists who paint or draw wildlife, founded in 1964. Its founder President was Sir Peter Scott, the current President of the society is British artist Andrew Stock....
(SWLA), of which he was a member, and with the Phoenix Gallery in Lavenham
Lavenham
Lavenham is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. It is noted for its 15th century church, half-timbered medieval cottages and circular walk. In the medieval period it was among the 20 wealthiest settlements in England...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, although he was not represented by any major commercial gallery. In 2002, he was the principal sculptor in a wildlife show of two- and three-dimensional works which originated at the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Antica e Moderna in Turin, Italy. It travelled then to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, then back to the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) in England.
Death
He died of cancer, aged 79, and was survived by his former wife, Kiffi; his children, Pippa and Falcon, and by Leila Kouros, Driscoll's later partner in life.External links
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1774712,00.html
- http://www.artnet.com/artist/677592/barry-driscoll.html
- http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article624197.ece