The Artist Behind the Inspiration

Ronald George

1922-2018

The man and artist who inspired this Gallery concept was one who never really fulfilled his potential. He had a passion throughout his life for art, using the medium of watercolours, oils, charcoal, and pen and ink.

So who was Ron George? He was born in the City of London in 1922. Ron left school with aspirations to go to art college, but this had to wait until the end of the Second World War. When Ron was discharged from military service in 1948, he was then able to pursue his ambition of going to Art College. He obtained a grant for a National Diploma of Design and Art Teachers Diploma. This enabled him to study life drawing, wood carving, oil painting, composition, watercolour, portraits, and landscapes. Ron took inspiration for his art from the architecture and landscapes at home, but also from his experiences in the war, from the landscapes of India, Myanmar, Singapore, Assam, and Nepal.

Ron followed his studies in Fine Art with Graphic Design, working as a freelance. He sold his first oil painting at the Whitechapel Art Gallery and went on to exhibit over the following years at RBA Galleries, the Royal Academy, and Mall Galleries.

Married life saw Ron work as a graphic designer. When Ron retired, he took up the role of art tutor in oils, pastel, pencil, pen and ink, watercolours with subjects of portraiture, landscapes, still life, life drawing, and painting at the Adult College of Barking and Dagenham. Not one for wanting to give up his passion, Ron taught until he finally had to retire in his late 80s.

Ron was a man passionate about art and, while not 'famous', he was never without a notebook and pencil to capture his surroundings.