Artist Des RCA, NDD
Born Co. Durham, 1938

Biography

Early years spent in the Northeast of Yorkshire. Moved to London in 1954. Six-year study period at Kingston-upon-Thames School of Art and the Royal College of Art where drawing, based on observation, was encouraged.

1957-61
RCA under Sir Hugh Casson, Terence Conran and Richard Hamilton. Here an interest in Architecture and environmental design flourished.

1961-63
Travelled throughout Europe as a result of a Royal Society of Arts bursary award. Completed the two-year period working as a design assistant with architect Antony Kitsikis in Athens.

1964-70
Met Leslie Worth whilst teaching at Epsom School of Art , and was influenced by his watercolour mastery.

1970
Started freelancing as an illustrator with teaching posts at Hornsey and Twickenham Schools of Art tutoring life drawing and anatomy.

Joined a group of artists based in Hammersmith, West London, Illustrated several books at this point, including:
“A View of the Thames” by Norman Shrapnel, Collins Publishers

Twenty paintings of “Thames Bridges” commissioned for the recently completed Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Since 1977 George has demonstrated and taught the basics of landscape watercolour painting at “Art In Action”

2001
An exhibition of  drawings and watercolours held at St Oswald’s Studios in Fulham introduced a series of works free from the constraints of the “Architectural” illustrator.

2003
Commissioned House Portraits, Summer and Winter, with four garden vistas and a portrait of Douglass Welch, client Director at Delloite & Touche.

2004
A major commission, a series of drawings and watercolours exploring the aforementioned “freedom from constraint”. The theme, the ‘Spirit of London’ with special focuses on the river Thames. Roseberry Homes Limited Client.

2005
A themed exhibition with special focus on the river Thames took place at the Bankside gallery in London.

2006
Working on a series of local river pictures to be exhibited at The Fountain Gallery. East Molesey in January 2007.

2007/8
Developing riverscape pictures in oils and watercolour for City of London exhibition in 2010.

2009
Teaching at the Art Academy, London. Oil study completed for 1st Yorkshire Regiment, "The Last Patrol".

Negotiations underway for further commission, same regiment, for June 2010.

Click here to read an artist statement by George Murray.