About – William Lonsdale

William Lonsdale is an artist with well over 70 years of creative expression behind him. His style and skills cannot be neatly pigeon-holed as they have developed, changed and matured along with his exposure to the environments and societies in which he has lived and worked.

The one continuing theme that defines him is his enthusiasm, focus and desire to translate the people, places and experiences he has seen and known into artistically recorded versions that will immortalise them in paint, pencil, pen, pastel, clay, calligraphy and sculpture.

paint pallet William Lonsdale artist — Oil Palette used over many years

He can turn his hand to oil, watercolour, gouache, pencil: subjects ranging from portrait to landscape, horseracing to industrial scenes, real to imaginary, draughtsmanship to abstract, and always with outstanding skill in use of techniques of perspective, tone and colour.

Indeed his skills in such a variety of areas led him to become an outstanding teacher of his art and crafts; which left many, many of his students with lasting memories of his dedication and ability to inspire.

Exhibiting his work over the years has earned him admiration and recognition from a large number of appreciative art-lovers and critics. His continued desire to capture scenes from both the present and from the industrial landscape of his past propels him to work nearly every day – even now that he is in his eighties. This enthusiasm shines out from all his work.

EDUCATION

William Lonsdale was born in Nelson, Lancashire in 1934. As a child he and his family lived through the shared experiences of war-time hardships that could have prevented someone with less dedication from following such a creative path. He showed an unusual interest and talent for drawing at a very young age, leading to his attendance at Saturday morning art classes from the age of 12, post-war in 1946, and evening “Life” drawing and painting classes at Nelson & Colne College from the age of 14.

His enthusiasm and ability determined his career path and he attended Nelson School of Art (part of at Nelson & Colne College) full time from 1949 -1951. In 1951 he passed the Ministry of Education Intermediate Examination in Arts & Crafts.

At the easel photo William Lonsdale Artist — At the easel – 1965

Leaving his mill town home in 1951 to take up a place at Lancaster & Morecambe College of Arts & Crafts , in 1953 he passed the Ministry of Education National Diploma in Design: Illustration, at Special Level. He remained at Lancaster & Morecambe College to prepare and submit a folder of work as an application to attend the Royal College of Art. During this time in 1954 he gained an additional NDD: Lithography at Main Level.

The entry examination and interview at the Royal College of Art took place over 3 days.

The examination entailed one day spent on a given subject, “The Battle”, and a day of life drawing from the nude. The final day included an interview with a dozen or so of the Lecturers on staff and in attendance, and a review of his portfolio. Staff in the interview included: Julian Trevelyan, Edward Bawden, Ruskin Spear, Alastair Grant, John Nash, Edward Ardizzone and was principally conducted by Professor Guyatt, Head of Department of Graphic Design at the time.

William was successful throughout this process and in 1954 he was awarded a scholarship by the County of Lancashire to attend the Royal College of Art for 3 years.

The Royal College of Art required students to complete National Service for 2 years before commencing the 3 year post-graduate course. This was an interruption that meant it was September 1956 before he could commence the scholarship course at the Royal College of Art.

The break for National Service brought about some difficulties for him in settling down to college life after this prolonged absence. He decided to leave after a year and pursue a career in teaching Art, having also designed a range of toys for Chad Valley and worked on some freelance lettering and calligraphic commissions.

WORKING LIFE

William Lonsdale Artist self — William Painting in the late 1990s

By this time married to his wife, Beryl, he moved back to Nelson in August 1957 to begin his very successful teaching career at Colne Grammar School. Over a period of 27 years he held several teaching roles in the UK and in Germany, at Queen’s School, Rheindahlen, HQ of BAOR.

From Aug 1971 – Aug 1981 William was Head of Art at Burnley Grammar School for Boys , which became a mixed comprehensive in 1981, Habergham High School, and he was appointed Head of Art for this new school.

March 12, 1961

The Bradford City Art Gallery – Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art (put on by the director P. Bird who went on to the Arts Council later) 1961-1963

Mixed Exhibition

June 12, 1957

Gibbs Bookshop, Mosley Street Manchester

Mixed Exhibition

January 28, 1955

The City Art Gallery, Manchester – “Artists with Northern Associations”