Roy WALKER

Born in Welling, Kent, Roy Walker trained in art at the Gravesend School of Art and Regent Street Polytechnic during the early 1950s. Following National Service in the RAF, he attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1957-1960.

In 1965 he and his wife, Peggie, moved to St Ives, where he joined the Penwith Society of Arts, the Newlyn Society of Artists, and the Plymouth Society of Artists. From 1972 he was director of the print workshop at the Penwith Gallery, and had his first solo show at the Camel Gallery, Wadebridge the following year. With the Porthmeor Printmakers he exhibited at the Tate Gallery, St Ives in 1993. In the interim years he was a visiting lecturer at the Falmouth College of Art, Plymouth College of Art & Design, and exhibited abroad in the USA, and held workshops for international groups visiting St Ives. He exhibited widely in many group and solo shows.

Roy had an impressive reputation both as a painter and printmaker. He was a flamboyant character with a warm, generous nature. A close friend of the artist Bryan PEARCE, he helped to produce prints for him, and also John WELLS. He was continually experimenting with different media, later in life producing work on a scale which exceeded in size the confines of his studio. However the theme of flight (integral to his art practice since his RAF days) was always evident in his work, together with his love of form, colour and light.

He died of cancer in 2001, aged 65. A memorial exhibition was held at the Penhaven & Belgrave Galleries, St Ives, in 2003.  From the 5th of September, 2011 to 1st of October, a retrospective exhibition entitled 'Roy Walker Ten' will be held at the Cafe Art, The Drill Hall St Ives, together with an accompanying 'art trail' around St Ives in locations and shops frequented by Roy.