Patrick Heron

Patrick Heron, a British abstract and figurative painter, writer, and designer, was recognized as a leading painter of his generation. He significantly contributed to the spread of modernist painting concepts through both his critical writings and artistic endeavors.

Biography of the Patrick Heron

Born on January 30, 1920, in Headingley, Leeds, Yorkshire, Patrick Heron was the eldest child in the family. At the age of five, Heron, along with his younger brother Michael (later known as Dom Benedict), relocated to Cornwall, where his father became involved with Alec Walker at Cryséde. They expanded the business from artist-designed woodblock prints on silk to encompass garment-making and retail.

In 1929, the family moved to Welwyn Garden City, where his father established Cresta Silks. Cresta collaborated with notable designers such as Edward McKnight Kauffer, Wells Coates, Paul Nash, and Cedric Morris. Heron also began designing fabrics for the company during his teenage years.

In 1933, the artist was first introduced to Cézanne's paintings at an exhibition held in the National Gallery. This influence persisted throughout his artistic journey. Encountering Matisse's "The Red Studio" at the Redfern Gallery in 1943 inspired Heron to create "The Piano," which he regarded as his inaugural mature piece.

During World War II, Heron registered as a conscientious objector and worked as an agricultural laborer in Cambridgeshire until his ill health led to his release. He returned to Cornwall in 1944–45 to work at the Leach Pottery in St. Ives, where he encountered prominent artists from the St. Ives School, including Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. Regaining his connection with Cornwall, Heron began spending each summer there until 1956, when it evolved into his permanent residence. In 1955, he acquired and renovated Eagles Nest, a house he had previously inhabited during his childhood, from Mark Arnold-Forster. This dwelling became his abode until his passing in March 1999.

Heron's initial solo exhibition took place in 1947 at the Redfern Gallery in London. During the same year, Heron initiated a series of portraits of T. S. Eliot, one of which was included in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in 1966. In 2013, this markedly abstracted portrait took center stage in an exhibition at the gallery. For the first time, it was displayed alongside a range of Heron's original studies from life and memory that contributed to its creation.

In 1958, when Ben Nicholson relocated to Switzerland, Heron took over his studio at Porthmeor Studios in St. Ives, starting to work on larger-scale pieces, initially soft-edged and later evolving into the self-described "wobbly hard-edge painting."

In 1989, Heron became an artist-in-residence at the Museum of New South Wales in Sydney, leading to another highly prolific period in his career. The artist produced six large paintings and 46 gouaches in sixteen weeks. His works from this time drew inspiration from his daily walks through the city's Botanic Gardens by the harbor, capturing specific visual experiences through line and color without direct representation.

Throughout his career, Heron's work enjoyed widespread exhibition. Nicholas Serota, former director of the Tate Gallery and a friend and patron of Heron, described him as "one of the most influential figures in post-war British art."

Patrick Heron's Art Style

The artist's early works drew strong influence from artists like Matisse, Bonnard, Braque, and Cézanne. Throughout his career, Heron explored various media, from designing silk scarves for his father's company, Cresta, to creating a stained-glass window for Tate St. Ives. However, his primary focus remained on painting in oils and gouache.

Heron's art is renowned for its exploration and utilization of color and light. His body of work encompasses both early figurative and non-figurative pieces, gradually emphasizing the notion of equal importance across all aspects of the painting.