James Sleator
Encyclopedia
James Sinton Sleator artist
, was born in Portadown
, County Armagh
, Ireland
.
Painter of portraits and still life
, James Sleator was son of William Slator (different spelling, as James changed this, along with his middle name from Samuel to Sinton), who taught at Derryvane National School, near Portadown
, and was later principal of Strandtown National School, Belfast
.
The son studied at Belfast School of Art and in 1910 secured a scholarship for study at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, where he was under Sir William Orpen
(1878–1931) and won several prizes. Continuing his studies at the Slade School of Art, London
, from there he went to Paris
. He returned to Dublin in 1915 to become a teacher at the metropolitan. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy
in 1917, and he became a member in the same year. Five years later he went to Florence
when he painted portraits and landscapes, finally returning to London
where he set up a studio (1927) as a portrait painter and where he was closely associated with William Orpen
. Sleator was a member of the Chelsea Arts Club
and exhibited at the Royal Academy
and with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
. He taught painting to Winston Churchill
, taking over the job from Orpen. In 1935 he was made an honorary member of the Ulster Arts Club, Belfast
. He kept in touch with his sister Ethel Slator in Belfast
and visited her and his friends. He returned from London
to Dublin in 1941 and, apart from an occasional journey abroad, remained there until his death (1950).
is a portrait of Forrest Reid. The Armagh County Museum and the National Gallery of Ireland
, Dublin, have self-portraits. In 1951 a memorial exhibition at the Victor Waddington Galleries, Dublin was opened by Ulster
playwright, Rutherford Mayne.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, was born in Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Painter of portraits and still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
, James Sleator was son of William Slator (different spelling, as James changed this, along with his middle name from Samuel to Sinton), who taught at Derryvane National School, near Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
, and was later principal of Strandtown National School, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
The son studied at Belfast School of Art and in 1910 secured a scholarship for study at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, where he was under Sir William Orpen
William Orpen
Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, KBE, RA, RHA was an Irish portrait painter, who worked mainly in London...
(1878–1931) and won several prizes. Continuing his studies at the Slade School of Art, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, from there he went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He returned to Dublin in 1915 to become a teacher at the metropolitan. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Hibernian Academy
Royal Hibernian Academy
The Royal Hibernian Academy is an artist-based and artist-oriented institution in Ireland, founded in Dublin in 1823.-History:The RHA was founded as the result of 30 Irish artists petitioning the government for a charter of incorporation...
in 1917, and he became a member in the same year. Five years later he went to Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
when he painted portraits and landscapes, finally returning to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he set up a studio (1927) as a portrait painter and where he was closely associated with William Orpen
William Orpen
Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, KBE, RA, RHA was an Irish portrait painter, who worked mainly in London...
. Sleator was a member of the Chelsea Arts Club
Chelsea Arts Club
The Chelsea Arts Club is a private members club located in London with a membership of over 2,400, including artists, poets, architects, writers, dancers, actors, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers...
and exhibited at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
and with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters
Royal Society of Portrait Painters
The Royal Society of Portrait Painters is a British association of portrait painters which holds an annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London...
. He taught painting to Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, taking over the job from Orpen. In 1935 he was made an honorary member of the Ulster Arts Club, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. He kept in touch with his sister Ethel Slator in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and visited her and his friends. He returned from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Dublin in 1941 and, apart from an occasional journey abroad, remained there until his death (1950).
Works
In the Ulster MuseumUlster Museum
The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasures from the Spanish Armada, local history, numismatics, industrial...
is a portrait of Forrest Reid. The Armagh County Museum and the National Gallery of Ireland
National Gallery of Ireland
The National Gallery of Ireland houses the Irish national collection of Irish and European art. It is located in the centre of Dublin with one entrance on Merrion Square, beside Leinster House, and another on Clare Street. It was founded in 1854 and opened its doors ten years later...
, Dublin, have self-portraits. In 1951 a memorial exhibition at the Victor Waddington Galleries, Dublin was opened by Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
playwright, Rutherford Mayne.