Patrick Heron

Painter, writer, and textile designer, born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, N England, UK. He studied at the Slade School of Art, London. He was art critic for the New Statesman and Nation (1947–50), and taught at the Central School of Art, London (1953–6). He travelled and lectured in Australia, Brazil, and the USA, and held numerous one-man exhibitions worldwide. In May 2004, 50 of his works, including Vertical Light (1957), were destroyed in a warehouse fire in London.

Patrick Heron (1920 – 1999), was an English artist, based in St. Ives, Cornwall. Born in Leeds on the 30 January 1920, he studied part-time at the Slade School of Fine Art (1937–1938) and worked as an assistant at Bernard Leach's Pottery in St. Ives (1945). He taught at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London (1953–1956) and worked as an art critic on the New Statesman. His early work was influenced by Henri Matisse and consisted of figurative studies, but later on he developed an abstract style using unusual colours and intricate patterns.

Patrick Heron was formerly also a textile designer and writer on art. First one-man exhibition in London at the Redfern Gallery 1947 and in New York at the Bertha Schaefer Gallery 1960. Art critic to the New Statesman and Nation 1947–50, and London correspondent to Arts (New York) 1955–8. Retrospective exhibition, Wakefield Art Gallery and northern tour 1952; Turned to abstract art under the influence of American abstract painting 1956 and moved the same year to Zennor, Cornwall. Author of The Changing Forms of Art 1955, Ivon Hitchens 1955, Braque 1956.

The early work of the British painter, writer and designer was clearly influenced by Matisse and Braque. Although the subjects of his work – stripes, more abstract soft shapes and wiggly forms – are constantly changing, the colours he uses are deliciously bright and fun.