Fred Cuming

Born in London in 1930, Fred Cuming trained at the Sidcup School of Art from 1945 to 1949. Having completed his National Service, he then went on to study at the Royal College of Art where he gained a Rome Scholarship and the Abbey Travel Scholarship to visit Italy. He was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Academy in 1969 and a full member in 1974. Fred was elected Senior Royal Academician in 2005. Over the years since the mid-1950s, Fred taught at various Schools of Art. In 2004 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Fred has been inspired by masters of colour such as J.M.W. Turner, Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse and Paul Nash. Fred’s many years observing the Seasons and their changeable weathers, mainly on the South Coast of England, enabled him to devote his artistic skills to expressing the fleeting impressions of his surroundings, in particular his local areas around Hastings, Camber Sands and Rye. The tonal and pictorial values in his oil studies are true to the natural world, achieved by his distinctive technique of quickly layered colour. The results are a sensitive and unique rendering of light and mood of those atmospheres generated by land, sea, still life and interiors. His trademark palette, indicative of the Camden School Group, is refreshingly limited, making his paintings distinctly in his own subtle style. Particularly fascinated by his observation and depiction of light and atmosphere, Fred is one of England’s foremost and best-loved contemporary painters. Fred has exhibited widely and won many awards. Since 1953 he has exhibited regularly in numerous group and solo exhibitions throughout the UK and in the United States. His first solo show was held in 1978 at the Thackeray Gallery, London. In 1996 Fred was commissioned to paint Dr Stephen Hawkins which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, London. In 2001 he was given the honour of being the featured artist in the Royal Academy`s Summer Exhibition, with an entire gallery within the show dedicated to his work. Fred’s artworks are held in numerous distinguished collections throughout the world.