william gear (1915-1997)
Gear is one of the few British painters to have played a part in the international Modern Movement, identified by a strong use of colour and a geometric underlying structure, forging global artistic connections.
Born in Fife, Scotland, Gear Studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh University Fine Art Class during 1932-37 under William Giles, John Maxwell and McTaggart. He won a travelling scholarship which took him to Italy, Greece and the Balkans, as well as Paris where he studied at the Académie Colarossi under Fernand Léger. It was whilst in Paris that Gear became associated with the CoBrA artists who shared a commitment to creative spontaneity and expressionist techniques. During this period he was also associated with Ecole de Paris and met Milton Resnick, Marcarelli and Rothko.
From 1948 Gear showed at Gimpel Fils Gallery.
He exhibited in America with Jackson Pollock in 1949 before returning to London in 1950 and winning a Festival of Britain Purchase Prize the following year. His work continued to appear nationally and internationally, including the Venice Biennale in 1954.
Gear was a member of the London Group, Curator of the Towner Art Gallery, 1958 - 1964 and Head of Fine Art at Birmingham Polytechnic, 1964 - 1975. Between 1954 and 1985 a number of retrospective exhibitions were held.
Gear was a pivotal figure in the development of abstract painting in the context of post-war, modern British art.
He was elected a Royal Academician in 1995.
Born in Fife, Scotland, Gear Studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh University Fine Art Class during 1932-37 under William Giles, John Maxwell and McTaggart. He won a travelling scholarship which took him to Italy, Greece and the Balkans, as well as Paris where he studied at the Académie Colarossi under Fernand Léger. It was whilst in Paris that Gear became associated with the CoBrA artists who shared a commitment to creative spontaneity and expressionist techniques. During this period he was also associated with Ecole de Paris and met Milton Resnick, Marcarelli and Rothko.
From 1948 Gear showed at Gimpel Fils Gallery.
He exhibited in America with Jackson Pollock in 1949 before returning to London in 1950 and winning a Festival of Britain Purchase Prize the following year. His work continued to appear nationally and internationally, including the Venice Biennale in 1954.
Gear was a member of the London Group, Curator of the Towner Art Gallery, 1958 - 1964 and Head of Fine Art at Birmingham Polytechnic, 1964 - 1975. Between 1954 and 1985 a number of retrospective exhibitions were held.
Gear was a pivotal figure in the development of abstract painting in the context of post-war, modern British art.
He was elected a Royal Academician in 1995.
