ESSEX ARTISTS

Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious

I returned home from this recent lecture given by Terry Taylor with a feeling of disappointment. Being a great lover of art I felt I may have missed something. I have to admit despite being a long standing member of the U3A I attended the lecture because I was unfamiliar with both these artists. The focus of Essex artists always seems to be on our more famous artists so I was intrigued at the prospect of learning more about my unknown artists and their field of work. I wonder how many more members who packed the Constable Hall that afternoon can honestly say they were not of the same opinion.  Unfortunately, now no longer doing the posters for the lectures, I find I miss doing the research work I used to do prior to putting them together and thus would have been more knowledgeable on the forthcoming lecture.

The lecture opened with “You are all familiar with these 2 Artists”.  Recently I have asked several of my U3A colleagues this question and, like me, had to honestly admit that they had never heard of these two most outstanding Essex Artists.  I, myself, have not always lived in Essex so as a direct consequence I decided to research them.  Using the information gleaned from his lecture I discovered The Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden opens its season on Easter Sunday and continues till the last Sunday in October.  The opening hours are:- 2.00pm -5.00pm Tuesdays and Fridays, 11.00am -5.00pm Saturdays, and 2.15pm - 5.00pm Sundays, also open 2.15pm - 5.00pm on Bank Holidays. Discussing the project with my U3A friend Robin, also unaware of the fame of these 2 artists, we decided to spend Easter Monday in Saffron Walden.  Long term parking was available at Swan Meadow (pay & display) situated next to the Golf Course.  The Gallery is then a short walk down a pathway leading from Castle Street to Bridge End Gardens.  These Victorian Gardens are attached to the Gallery and are open to the public. Admission to the Gallery is free.

Both Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious were born in 1903, both married artist wives and both became Official War Artists during World War II.  They became friends while studying at the Royal College of Art under Paul Nash. After marriage the two couples shared a large house at Great Bardfield where they brought up their families. This house can still be seen today. Ravilious was famed for woodcarving and for his ceramic designs for the Wedgwood factory at Barlaston in Staffordshire. There is a Barlaston mug of Josiah Wedgwood, others include The Boat Race, and Piccadilly all on display. His watercolours of rural landscapes are enchanting, teatime outside in the farmyard,the inside of an old kitchen with scrubbed top table, and most of all inside an old railway carriage still with the old fashioned leather belt to raise and lower the carriage window. Sadly he died at the early age of 39 after failing to return from a mission in Iceland in 1942. Bawden, born in Braintree, Essex, was famed for the art of illustrating books and lithographs, but I was fascinated by his unique style evident in prints of Brighton Pier, London Underground Stations, Liverpool Street Station and prints of most of the London markets, examples include Billingsgate, Smithfield and Covent Garden. On the death of his wife Bawden went to live in Saffron Walden. The 2 photographs are of either side of the ornate inner door to the entrance of the Gallery together with the sculptured busts of each artist.  No photography is allowed inside the Gallery.

 We both thoroughly enjoyed our day in Saffron Walden, and viewing the Gallery of  these two great Essex Artists.  It is on our doorstep, well worth the effort to go and view!

 Kate Harrison April 23rd 2010