Peter Edwards (artist)
Encyclopedia
Peter Douglas Edwards, born 20 November 1955, British
painter. Winner of the 1994 BP Portrait Award.
, North Wales
, the son of Harry William Edwards, who came from a brewing family (J Edwards and son, Weston Rhyn), and Annie May Williams, daughter of Allan Williams killed in Ifton Colliery in 1943. His paternal grandmother was Maud Martha Baugh, a great-great-granddaughter of Robert Baugh (1748–1832) of Llanymynech
. His family moved across the border to Ellesmere
, Shropshire
, where they lived at London House, a large Victorian
building. It was in the centre of the market town
his father operated a TV and electrical business, County TV Service Ltd, which was founded in 1954 and ceased trading in 1999.
He attended Ellesmere Primary School 1960 - 1965, Bellan House School 1965 - 1967, and Oswestry School
1967 - 1974.
After gaining A levels in Art and English, he attended an art foundation course
at Shrewsbury School of Art, (part of what is now known as Shrewsbury College
) 1974 - 1975. followed by a degree in Fine Art
at Gloucestershire College of Art and Design, Cheltenham, Pittville Campus, 1975 - 1978. In his last term he brought out a small booklet of poems Brain's Acreage published by his complementary studies tutor Nick Wayte, and Nick's partner Gill Woodward.
In October 1978 after an unsuccessful interview at the Royal College of Art
, he set up a studio in the now unoccupied top floor of London House. He began to paint full time, (while helping when needed, delivering, and occasionally behind the counter
, of the family business
below) mainly self portrait
s, keeping in touch with the art scene by visiting friends who were still at art school in London
, such as Tod Ramos (Royal Academy of Arts Schools) and Alistair Lockhart (St Martins).
In 1980 he exhibited a small self portrait in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
. The painting was bought by the eminent collector, Sir Brinsley Ford. With the money from this sale he stayed for a week in the Cromwell Road, Belfast
digs of his Cheltenham
art-school friend (Malcolm) James Reilly. He attended Reilly's lectures on the Post' Graduate' course at Belfast Art School by day, and the bohemian
and punk
underworld
by night. He particularly remembers talking with Rita Donagh
who was there as a visiting lecturer.
Through the 1980s he continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy and began exhibiting in the National Portrait Gallery's Portrait Award. A career breakthrough was the purchase in 1986 of The Liverpool Poets
by the NPG
. His continuing involvement with the gallery and Robin Gibson then 20th Century Curator (later Chief Curator) led to a major one-man exhibition and tour in the Gallery in April 1990 "Contemporary Poets", which consisted of 17 large canvasses of 20 poets, alongside a poem from each poet, numerous studies, and a series of Saturday morning readings from Seamus Heaney
, Douglas Dunn
, Charles Causley
, Wendy Cope
, and Craig Raine
.
On 30 July 1991, Bobby Moore
unveiled Edwards' portrait of Bobby Charlton
in the National Portrait Gallery, Sponsored by British Gas plc
, it marked the 25th anniversary
of England
winning the FIFA World Cup
.
In 1993 he exhibited in The Portrait Now
show with, amongst others, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud
, Nam June Paik
, and Tony Bevan
. In 1994 he won the BP Portrait Award with Portrait of an Artist's Model, which was cited in the last paragraph of Richard Ormond's obituary of Marguerite Kelsey, who was the subject of the portrait. She had been the been the model of choice, in the inter-war years, for many leading artists, including Meredith Frampton
. This award led to his commission
to paint Kazuo Ishiguro
, which was unveiled the following summer in the National Portrait Gallery by Ismail Merchant
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
painter. Winner of the 1994 BP Portrait Award.
Early life and career
Peter Edwards was born in ChirkChirk
Chirk is a small town and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It has a population of over 4,000....
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, the son of Harry William Edwards, who came from a brewing family (J Edwards and son, Weston Rhyn), and Annie May Williams, daughter of Allan Williams killed in Ifton Colliery in 1943. His paternal grandmother was Maud Martha Baugh, a great-great-granddaughter of Robert Baugh (1748–1832) of Llanymynech
Llanymynech
Llanymynech is a village straddling the border between Montgomeryshire/Powys, Wales and Shropshire, England about 9 miles north of the Welsh town of Welshpool. The name is Welsh for "Church of the Monks"....
. His family moved across the border to Ellesmere
Ellesmere, Shropshire
Ellesmere is a small market town near Oswestry in north Shropshire, England, notable for its proximity to a number of prominent lakes, the Meres.-History:...
, 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 they lived at London House, a large Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
building. It was in the centre of the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
his father operated a TV and electrical business, County TV Service Ltd, which was founded in 1954 and ceased trading in 1999.
He attended Ellesmere Primary School 1960 - 1965, Bellan House School 1965 - 1967, and Oswestry School
Oswestry School
Oswestry School is a co-educational independent school, located in the town of Oswestry, Shropshire, England. Founded in 1407 by David Holbache and his wife Guinevere Holbache, it is the second oldest non-denominational school in England....
1967 - 1974.
After gaining A levels in Art and English, he attended an art foundation course
Foundation Course
A foundation course is a preparatory course for university-level art and design education, used particularly in the United Kingdom.-Description:...
at Shrewsbury School of Art, (part of what is now known as Shrewsbury College
Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology
Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology is a community college located in Shrewsbury in the county of Shropshire, England.The college used to be known by the acronym SCAT, but in 2004, whilst the full name of the college remained the same, the college changed its informal name to simply Shrewsbury...
) 1974 - 1975. followed by a degree in Fine Art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
at Gloucestershire College of Art and Design, Cheltenham, Pittville Campus, 1975 - 1978. In his last term he brought out a small booklet of poems Brain's Acreage published by his complementary studies tutor Nick Wayte, and Nick's partner Gill Woodward.
In October 1978 after an unsuccessful interview 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 set up a studio in the now unoccupied top floor of London House. He began to paint full time, (while helping when needed, delivering, and occasionally behind the counter
Counter
In digital logic and computing, a counter is a device which stores the number of times a particular event or process has occurred, often in relationship to a clock signal.- Electronic counters :...
, of the family business
Family business
A family business is a business in which one or more members of one or more families have a significant ownership interest and significant commitments toward the business’ overall well-being....
below) mainly self portrait
Self Portrait
Self Portrait is singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's tenth studio album, released by Columbia Records in June 1970.Self Portrait was Dylan's second double album, and features mostly cover versions of well-known pop and folk songs. Also included are a handful of instrumentals and original compositions...
s, keeping in touch with the art scene by visiting friends who were still at art school in 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...
, such as Tod Ramos (Royal Academy of Arts Schools) and Alistair Lockhart (St Martins).
In 1980 he exhibited a small self portrait in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Royal Academy summer exhibition
The Summer Exhibition is an open art exhibition held annually by the Royal Academy in Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London, England, during the summer months of June, July, and August...
. The painting was bought by the eminent collector, Sir Brinsley Ford. With the money from this sale he stayed for a week in the Cromwell Road, 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...
digs of his Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
art-school friend (Malcolm) James Reilly. He attended Reilly's lectures on the Post' Graduate' course at Belfast Art School by day, and the bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
and punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
by night. He particularly remembers talking with Rita Donagh
Rita Donagh
Rita Donagh is an artist known for her realistic paintings and painstaking draughtsmanship.Formerly, Rita Donagh taught at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where she met Richard Hamilton, whom she later married. She also taught at the University of Reading, the Slade School of Art, and...
who was there as a visiting lecturer.
Through the 1980s he continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy and began exhibiting in the National Portrait Gallery's Portrait Award. A career breakthrough was the purchase in 1986 of The Liverpool Poets
Liverpool poets
The Liverpool Poets are a number of influential 1960s poets from Liverpool, England, influenced by 1950s Beat poetry. They were involved in the 1960s Liverpool scene that gave rise to The Beatles, during a time when the city was termed by US beat poet Allen Ginsberg "the centre of the consciousness...
by the NPG
National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
The National Portrait Gallery of Australia is a collection of portraits of prominent Australians that are important in their field of endeavour or whose life sets them apart as an individual of long-term public interest...
. His continuing involvement with the gallery and Robin Gibson then 20th Century Curator (later Chief Curator) led to a major one-man exhibition and tour in the Gallery in April 1990 "Contemporary Poets", which consisted of 17 large canvasses of 20 poets, alongside a poem from each poet, numerous studies, and a series of Saturday morning readings from Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
, Douglas Dunn
Douglas Dunn
Douglas Eaglesham Dunn, OBE is a Scottish poet, academic, and critic. He currently lives in Scotland.-Background:Dunn was born in Inchinnan, Renfrewshire. He was educated at the Scottish School of Librarianship, and worked as a librarian before he started his studies in Hull...
, Charles Causley
Charles Causley
Charles Stanley Causley, CBE, FRSL was a Cornish poet, schoolmaster and writer. His work is noted for its simplicity and directness and for its associations with folklore, especially when linked to his native Cornwall....
, Wendy Cope
Wendy Cope
Wendy Cope, OBE is an award-winning contemporary English poet. She read history at St Hilda's College, Oxford. She now lives in Ely with the poet Lachlan Mackinnon.-Biography:...
, and Craig Raine
Craig Raine
Craig Raine is an English poet and critic born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England. Along with Christopher Reid, he is the best-known exponent of Martian poetry.-Life:...
.
On 30 July 1991, Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
unveiled Edwards' portrait of Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
in the National Portrait Gallery, Sponsored by British Gas plc
British Gas plc
British Gas plc was formerly the monopoly gas supplier and is a private sector in the United Kingdom.- History :In the early 1900s the gas market in the United Kingdom was mainly run by county councils and small private firms...
, it marked the 25th anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
winning the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
.
In 1993 he exhibited in The Portrait Now
The Portrait Now
The Portrait Now was a major international overview of contemporary portraiture held in 1993–1994 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Among many others it included portraits by Michael Andrews, Frank Auerbach, Francis Bacon, Tony Bevan, Chuck Close, Jim Dine, Peter Edwards, Stephen Finer,...
show with, amongst others, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud
Lucian Freud
Lucian Michael Freud, OM, CH was a British painter. Known chiefly for his thickly impasted portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time...
, Nam June Paik
Nam June Paik
Nam June Paik was a Korean American artist. He worked with a variety of media and is considered to be the first video artist....
, and Tony Bevan
Tony Bevan (painter)
-Biography:Bevan was born in Bradford, Yorkshire. He studied at Bradford School of Art from 1968 to 1971, followed by Goldsmiths' College, London from 1971 to 1974, and the Slade School of Fine Art from 1974 to 1976...
. In 1994 he won the BP Portrait Award with Portrait of an Artist's Model, which was cited in the last paragraph of Richard Ormond's obituary of Marguerite Kelsey, who was the subject of the portrait. She had been the been the model of choice, in the inter-war years, for many leading artists, including Meredith Frampton
Meredith Frampton
Meredith Frampton was a British painter and etcher.Frampton was educated at St John's Wood Art School and the at the Royal Academy Schools. He was the son of sculptor George Frampton. Although his artistic career was short and his output was limited, his work is on display at the National...
. This award led to his commission
Commission (art)
In art, a commission is the hiring and payment for the creation of a piece, often on behalf of another.In classical music, ensembles often commission pieces from composers, where the ensemble secures the composer's payment from private or public organizations or donors.- Commissions for public art...
to paint Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro OBE or ; born 8 November 1954) is a Japanese–English novelist. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and his family moved to England in 1960. Ishiguro obtained his Bachelor's degree from University of Kent in 1978 and his Master's from the University of East Anglia's creative writing...
, which was unveiled the following summer in the National Portrait Gallery by Ismail Merchant
Ismail Merchant
Ismail Merchant was an Indian-born film producer, best known for the results of his famously long collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions which included director James Ivory as well as screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala...
.
Selected public collections
- National Portrait Gallery, London. 6 works. The portraits are of: Adrian HenriAdrian HenriAdrian Henri was a British poet and painter best remembered as the founder of poetry-rock group The Liverpool Scene and as one of three poets in the best-selling anthology The Mersey Sound, along with Brian Patten and Roger McGough. The trio of Liverpool poets came to prominence in that city's...
, Roger McGoughRoger McGoughRoger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
, Brian PattenBrian Patten-Background:Born near Liverpool's docks, he attended Sefton Park School in the Smithdown Road area of Liverpool, where he was noted for his essays and greatly encouraged in his work by Harry Sutcliffe his form teacher. He left school at fifteen and began work for The Bootle Times writing a column...
, (triple portrait known as) The Liverpool PoetsLiverpool poetsThe Liverpool Poets are a number of influential 1960s poets from Liverpool, England, influenced by 1950s Beat poetry. They were involved in the 1960s Liverpool scene that gave rise to The Beatles, during a time when the city was termed by US beat poet Allen Ginsberg "the centre of the consciousness...
. Seamus HeaneySeamus HeaneySeamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
, John Heath-StubbsJohn Heath-StubbsJohn Francis Alexander Heath-Stubbs OBE was an English poet and translator, known for his verse influenced by classical myths, and the long Arthurian poem Artorius .- Biography :...
, Willy Russell, Sir Bobby Charlton, and Kazuo IshiguroKazuo IshiguroKazuo Ishiguro OBE or ; born 8 November 1954) is a Japanese–English novelist. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and his family moved to England in 1960. Ishiguro obtained his Bachelor's degree from University of Kent in 1978 and his Master's from the University of East Anglia's creative writing...
. - The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York of the British Poet Peter ReadingPeter ReadingPeter Reading was an English poet and the author of 26 collections of poetry. He is known for his choice of ugly subject matter, and use of classical metres. The Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Poetry describes his verse as "strongly anti-romantic, disenchanted and usually satirical"...
, and ArmenianArmeniansArmenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
poet Vahé OshaganVahé OshaganVahe Oshagan was an Armenian poet, writer, literary critic.- Life :Vahe Oshagan was born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, in 1922. His father, Hagop Oshagan, was a prominent writer and critic...
. - National Museum WalesNational Museum WalesAmgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, formerly the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, comprises eight museums in Wales:* National Museum Cardiff* St Fagans: National History Museum, Cardiff* Big Pit National Coal Museum, Blaenavon...
, painting of Tyrone O'SullivanTyrone O'SullivanTyrone O'Sullivan OBE , is a Welsh former National Union of Mineworkers Branch Secretary, and current Chairman of Goitre Tower Anthracite Ltd., the owners of Tower Colliery.-Biography:...
. - Ulster Museum, BelfastUlster MuseumThe 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...
, painting of Michael LongleyMichael LongleyMichael Longley, CBE is a Northern Irish poet from Belfast.-Life and career:Longley was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and subsequently read Classics at Trinity College, Dublin, where he edited Icarus...
. - National Library of WalesNational Library of WalesThe National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
, 6 works - St Andrews University, portrait of Principle Struther ArnottStruther ArnottStruther Arnott CBE FRS FRSE FIBiol FRSC is a Scottish molecular biologist and chemist who specialises in cancer research...
- Birmingham University
- Warwick University, painting of Sir Christopher Zeeman
- Ferens GalleryFerens Art GalleryThe Ferens Art Gallery is an art gallery in the English city of Kingston upon Hull. The site and money for the gallery were donated to the city by Thomas Ferens, after whom it is named. Opened in 1927,...
, Hull - National Museums LiverpoolNational Museums LiverpoolNational Museums Liverpool, previously known as National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, comprises several museums and art galleries in and around Liverpool, England. All museums and galleries in this group have free admission...
portrait of Willy Russell - Williamson Art GalleryWilliamson Art GalleryThe Williamson Art Gallery and Museum is situated in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England and houses the town's collection of art.Opened on 1 December 1928, the single storey building is Neo Georgian in style. Financial support for its establishment was provided by John Williamson, a Director of the...
, Birkenhead - Moma WalesMOMA, WalesMOMA or Museum of Modern Art adjacent to Y Tabernacl is located in Machynlleth, Powys, Mid Wales.The Tabernacle was converted in the mid-1980s from a Wesleyan chapel into a centre for the performing arts. Since then the Museum of Modern Art has grown up alongside it, with six exhibition spaces.The...
, Sir Kyffyn Williams, Ruth Lambert - St Georges hospitalSt George's HospitalFounded in 1733, St George’s Hospital is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. It shares its main hospital site in Tooting, England with the St George's, University of London which trains NHS staff and carries out advanced medical research....
, London - Sheffield University Portraits of Sir Peter MiddletonPeter MiddletonSir Peter Edward Middleton GCB is a British UK Chairman, Marsh & McLennan Companies, former banker and current Chancellor of the University of Sheffield.-Life:...
and Sir Harry Kroto - Manchester University portraits of Sir Martin Harris and Alan GilbertAlan GilbertAlan David Gilbert AO, was a historian and academic administrator who was until June 2010 the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester....