Featured Friend – Bob Young

This issue’s Featured Friend is Bob Young. Bob’s been a member of Friends of the Hatton for over
30 years and has had a lifelong interest in art. His background in graphic design have clearly had an impact on his artistic style.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how your interest in art grew
By the age of six I clearly knew that drawing was something that I enjoyed, and what it provides has stayed with me. I cannot make any claims to the quality of the work, but crucially the activity was, and still is, satisfying.  At fifteen I began an apprenticeship in the Printing Industry. An expert from the Careers Service gave me this advice, “You draw, Eric Gill could draw, and he did well in the Printing Industry”. Good advice, given that Eric’s fall from grace was some way off. I became a Letterpress Printer working with type of lead alloy. This process is almost completely    obsolete commercially but is increasingly popular with artist printmakers.

When studying for trade qualifications, I had a Design Lecturer who enthused me with the concept of good Design; he encouraged me to extend my readings on Art and Design, visit the galleries- and draw regularly. From here my interest in the Arts gradually grew.

When did you become a Friend of the Hatton?
About 1991, in a chance conversation with a Friend of the Hatton I mentioned that I would like to join a Life Drawing class. I was advised that the Friends of the Hatton organised such classes. Subsequently my membership of the Friends started about this time.

What is your favourite part of being a Friend      of the Hatton Gallery?
Friends’ groups provide the satisfying experience of meeting people with similar interests. Many of our members are practitioners in the Arts; how well their works show at our exhibitions. Being involved with the Friends of the Hatton has been very rewarding.

Who is your favourite artist and/or what is your favourite art movement?
I paint with watercolours and it was a long time before I achieved a modicum of success. There is one artist I often refer to and wonder ‘how did he do that?’ the artist is Eric Ravillious whose work is a delight and wonder. I was eleven years when I saw Ravillious’s ‘Norway, 1940’ in the Laing Art Gallery and I knew that here was something special. Such wonderfully designed work; always a joy. I would recommend the appraisal of this artist in Chistopher Neve’s ‘Unquiet Landscape’.

I do look at many other artists; Lucian Freud is tops at the moment; Turner is slipping a little – but he will be back.

What are you currently working on, or planning to work on?
Unable to drive, my ventures into fresh landscape are few. Working from memory I have become an Abstract Artist – and I am told that they are landscapes. I may try Still-Life.

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If you’d like to be our “Featured Friend” in a future bulletin, email roger.newbrook@gmail.com and we’ll send you our questionnaire.