Norman Ackroyd, CBE, R.A. is an English
artist known primarily for his etchings, he is one of Britain's most famous
contemporary printmakers. Based in London. Ackroyd attended Leeds College of
Art from 1957-61 and the Royal College of Art, London from 1961-64, where he
studied under Julian Trevelyan. Subsequently he lived for several years in the
United States. He was elected to the Royal Academy of Art in 1988 and appointed
Professor of Etching, University of the Arts, in 1994. He was elected Senior
Fellow of the Royal College of Art in 2000, and in 2007 was made CBE for
services to Engraving and Printing.
Born in Leeds, his love of landscape was
nurtured on long boyhood bicycle rides in the Yorkshire Dales. 'The things that
stirred me, I wanted to get to the root of' and in doing so, he will take ink,
plate and acid into the field. The plate can be worked on directly, the acid
painted on as if a watercolour, and the 'bite' stopped by a quick rinse in a
stream or a wipe on the wet grass, giving a freedom and immediacy which
produces truly captivating images. Ackroyd's iconic etching show the landscape
of British Isle's in all its unpredictable glory, weather and water produce
highly experimental and variable compositions, in many instances, technical
tours de force. Depending on the locale, atmospheric conditions and intended
mood, his works range from minimalist, nearly abstract impressions, to richly
detailed images of specific places and seasons. Although his work almost never
includes the human figure, the landscape subjects he prefers are often ones of
age-old human habitation.
Ackroyd's work is exhibited in most major
art galleries and Institutions today together with many significant private
commissions, one of his latest being at the English Embassy in Moscow. He
possesses both self-belief and humility and acknowledges that he is privileged
to be living in a society that gives him the freedom to be an artist. We in
turn are privileged to be able to display his work and to offer it to you. For
a full biography, please click here.
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