British contemporary art started during the 1960's and is present until now, this birthed the era of many Great Northern British Artists. This movement saw a large shift in wealth for the nation, and the common individuals power to spend increased. During around this time was an Artist named Lowry. Known for his modern urban landscapes, Lowry became known in Britain as a great artist.
Lowry was raised in the streets of northern England, Lancaster. His father Robert was an estate agent and his mother Elizabeth, who showed disinterest for his talent as an artist, was a concert pianist.
At school he was shy and made few friends and did not have great academic achievements. He devoted most of his time doing sketches and paintings. He had a habit of using whatever was with him in order to make an artwork of the place around him. He left school and engaged himself for some private art lessons during dusk on traditional and freehand drawing.
Lowry was persistent in continuing to learn from the French Impressionist artist Pierre Adolphe Valet and was lucky enough to have an outstanding and well respected teacher who encouraged him to find his own distinctive style. Later he developed his interest on industrial landscapes and began to create his style.
During interviews conducted later in his life, Lowery retained that he had an unmemorable childhood. His mother had a hard time giving birth to him and was uneasy looking at him because she longed for a daughter, jealous of her sister Mary, who had three daughters. She used her illness to get attention and controlled her son's life. She became an imperative figure in Lowry s life and when she became bedridden, he took care of her until her death in 1939.
In later years, Lowry regrets that he had received little gratitude as an artist. During the time of war, he enlisted as fire watcher in Manchester and became a legitimate war artist. During the coronation of Elizabeth II, he was appointed as Official Artist in 1953. He was selected to the Order of the British Empire as Officer and Commander which he both turned down. He seems to grasp the record of most honors wilted following the refusal of a knighthood and appointment to the Order of the Companions of Honor. He was given an honorary award degree of Master of Arts by the University of Manchester, and that of Doctor of Letters in 1961.
He succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 88 at the Woods Hospital in Glossop Derbyshire on February 23, 1976. He was buried in Charlton Southern Cemetery in Manchester. He left a cultural legacy of greatness, with his works inspiring other artists and works of art.
A collection of Lowry's work known as 'The Lowry' consisting of 55 paintings and 278 drawings are on permanent public display in a contemporary built art gallery in Salford Quays. In 1968, one of his paintings called Coming Out of School which depicts great artists was made a stamp by the Post Office.
David Tatham, specialist art dealer for more than 25 years, and has a detailed knowledge of work by modern British artists. Visit the website David Shepherd to see an extensive collection of work and biography of the artist. Signed, prints and originals can be seen and bought from the website.
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