10 March 2010 Renowned painter and printmaker Charles Bartlett has paid a visit to Towner, the new home of Eastbourne’s TownerArtGallery and stunning new exhibition space for the South East, 54 years after he had his first solo exhibition at the old Towner Gallery!
The 88-year-old had returned to Eastbourne, the town of his childhood, for the launch of a new exhibition of his etchings at the EmmaMasonGallery. He was delighted to be able to visit Towner in its dramatic new setting, where it has been reborn as the contemporary art museum for the South East.
Born in 1921, Bartlett is one of the oldest living artists represented in the Towner Collection, and his visit allowed him to view his own works in the state of the art collection store at the new Towner.
Since his first solo show at the old TownerArtGallery in 1956, Bartlett has become a highly regarded painter and printmaker, and has held the positions of President of the Royal Watercolour Society and senior fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. Towner maintained its connection with this artist throughout his burgeoning career, acquiring some 8 of his works for the Towner Collection.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Susan Morris, said “We were delighted to welcome Charles to the new Towner on his return to Eastbourne – how things have changed since he exhibited at the old TownerArtGallery in 1956! This highlights that even back in the 1950s, Towner was leading the way by giving artists their first solo show in a UK public gallery – the new Towner continues to champion emerging artists in this way, but in a purpose-built and fully accessible building that allows far greater flexibility and scope!
Charles has achieved a great deal of success and acclaim over his career as a painter and printmaker, and we wish him every success for his new exhibition.”
Bartlett greatly enjoyed his visit to Eastbourne and said of Towner that it was “very impressive and in a great position”, and its collection store was excellent. The etchings of his in the Towner Collection include one of his earliest, made when he was a student at the Royal College of Art.
Of living in Eastbourne and his artistic practice he said, “Eastbourne was a much quieter place and royalty often came to stay. I moved here from Grimsby when I was seven and lived in Grange Road. As a boy I made my first rather primitive boat here and often went out to sea with the fishermen. I attended the grammar school and later Eastbourne School of Art and I became interested in all things natural and drew from nature. At the ArtSchool I was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Art. Art has been my life since an early age.”
The etchings for sale in the exhibition at the EmmaMasonGallery were made by Bartlett between the late 1960s and 1980s, and in many cases they are the last remaining print from the edition. The EmmaMasonGallery is open Thursday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, and at other times by appointment; please see the Emma Mason website for more information.
Towner is privileged to have been nominated for the prestigious £100,000 Art Fund Prize, for galleries that have shown “originality, imagination and excellence” within the last year – please support Towner by voting in the public poll! – please visit the Art Fund Prize website to cast your vote.
