from Hartlepool to Swansea – the Early Years
Our online exhibition for August showcases around 70 prints from the accomplished printmaker and art lecturer, Arthur Charlton, previously unseen as a body of work.
The exhibition includes work from the 1940’s through to his later pieces up to his retirement in 1982 and features wood engravings, linocuts, lithographs and screenprints.
Charlton’s early prints date back to the 40’s when he was attending classes in West Hartlepool, his home town. His training was interrupted by the outbreak of war. In common with many of his generation, Arthur experienced some dramatic and dangerous situations as a navigator in the RAF and was shot down and became a POW for several years. He ran art classes in the camp and drawings he produced in this time are now in the Imperial War Museum.
Charlton came to Swansea in the 1950’s through his friendship with Welsh sculptor Ronald Cour, who he met at the Royal College of Art. From 1951 to 1982, Charlton was a lecturer at the prestigious Swansea School of Art which produced anumber of acclaimed artists including Ceri Richards, Evan Walters and Alfred Janes.
A passionate and influential teacher over 30 years, Charlton inspired in many of his students a love of printmaking, including several members of Swansea Print Workshop who learned under him.
Courtesy of his son, Tony Charlton, we have had the privilege of looking through his wonderful portfolio of work across the years and have enjoyed learning more about the life of this talented and inspirational printmaker.
https://swanseaprintmakers.com/arthur-andy-charlton-in-context/