Patrick Heron- a brief Biography

Patrick Heron (1920 – 1999), was an English artist, based in St. Ives, Cornwall. Born in Leeds on the 30 January 1920, Patrick Heron studied part-time at the Slade School of Fine Art (1937–1938) and worked as an assistant at Bernard Leach's Pottery in St. Ives (1945). Patrick Heron taught at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London (1953–1956) and worked as an art critic on the New Statesman. His early work was influenced by Henri Matisse and consisted of figurative studies, but later on Heron developed an abstract style using unusual colours and intricate patterns. Patrick Heron was also a textile designer and wrote a book, The Shape of Colour (1978), in which he analysed natural forms. On 24 May 2004, the Momart warehouse fire destroyed a number of Patrick Heron’s most important works.

Patrick Heron was formerly also a textile designer and writer on art. Patrick Heron was the son of T.M. Heron, founder of Cresta Silks and Christian sociologist. Lived at St Ives 1925–30. Heron's painting was interrupted by the war; in 1945 he settled in London and began to paint again. Deeply impressed by the Braque exhibition at the Tate Gallery 1946. Patrick Heron had his first one-man exhibition in London at the Redfern Gallery 1947 and in New York at the Bertha Schaefer Gallery 1960. Patrick Heron was the Art critic to the New Statesman and Nation 1947–50, and London correspondent to Arts (New York) 1955–8. Retrospective exhibition, Wakefield Art Gallery and northern tour 1952; twelve paintings in the São Paulo Bienal 1953–4. Turned to abstract art under the influence of American abstract painting 1956 and moved the same year to Zennor, Cornwall. Awarded First Prize in the John Moores Liverpool Exhibition 1959. Author of The Changing Forms of Art 1955, Ivon Hitchens 1955, Braque 1956.

Many of Patrick Heron's works can be seen at The Tate Collection online. Heron's work can also be bought from Caroline Wiseman Modern Art. Wiseman is a dealer in original works by patrick Heron and a wide range of other Modern and contemporary artists. Please visit www.carolinewiseman.com to see a full list of works for sale.