Arthur MEADE
Arthur Meade was born in Burrowbridge, Somerset. After studying in Paris under Gerome and at Bushey under Herkomer, Meade arrived in St Ives in 1890. Initially a traditional painter of landscapes, Meade's palette lightened over the years as he painted coastal and harbour subjects. Primarily a landscape artist, he also painted portraits and figures, and at one stage became well-known for his bluebell depictions (his critics nicknaming him "Bluebell Meade").
Meade participated in the opening exhibition at NAG in 1895, displaying a landscape. He then travelled across the west of England painting 'Wessex' subjects in Thomas Hardy's Dorset. Working first from a studio in Back Road, St Ives in 1895, and also from a studio at Lelant, he lived at 2 Bowling Green before moving to 'Godrevy', Trelyon Hill in 1904, where he remained for the rest of his life. From that address, he exhibited on four occasions at the Paris Salon (1905,11,12,13) receiving an Honourable Mention for his painting Une clairiere de campanelles.
At St Ives Show Day in 1911 he exhibited two paintings of Porthminster Beach, Knill Monument, and two portraits in oils.
The year following his death, an Arthur Meade exhibition was mounted in St Ives at Lanham's Gallery.
His wife was Mrs. Mabel MEADE, also an artist about whom little is known. In 1892 the couple had a son, Paul, followed by a daughter, Celia, a year later.
media
Painter of landscapes, also portraits and figures
works and access
Works include: A portrait of the artist's grandaughter, Jennifer, 1933 Sea Urchins On St Michael's Mount, Cornwall A view from the Castle Gardens - oil on canvas
Access to Work: QMDH; Preston; Worcester; Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki
exhibitions
RA (63) 1914, 'Gurnard's Head' ? 1919, May; 'The Winding Road'; 'By mead and Stream' ROI (92) NAG 1895, 'Opening': landscape St Ives 1909, March, 'Harvest of the River Fields' 1911, March, two paintings of Porthminster Beach; Knill Monument; two portraits, oils 1912, March, 'a lonely road'; 'Her Great-Grandmother's Dress' (portrait of the artist's daughter, Miss Celia Meade); 'The Steeple Rock' 1913, March, 'Stormy Wind and Tempest'; 'The Land of the Moving Mists' 1913, November, Lanhams, painting of the fishing fleet at night 1914, January, Lanhams, #9 portrait 1914, March, Show Day 1915, March 1919, March 1919, December; An Old Garden 1920, Janary, Lanhams; 'Old World Garden' 1920, February, Lanhams; 'Winter'; 'The Woods in Spring'; 'The Spirit of the Sands' 1920, March, Show Day; 'The Mill Stream'; 'The Towing Path, Morning'; 'Perilous Seas' 1920, March, works for London Galleries 1920, March, works for RA 1923, March, (3) 'A Moorland Road, Dorset'; 'Lyn Valley'; 'Sunny Woodlands, Dorset' and a portrait of Mr. Halstead, secretary of the West Cornwall Golf Club 1924, March, (3) including 'The Old Bridge at Brendon' 1928, Summer, Porthmeor Gallery STISA 1929, Show Day, 'The Wreck' 1932, Winter Show, 'Mill Stream' 1932 and 34, Touring Shows 1943, March, Lanham's Galleries, Memorial Exhibition Plymouth Art Gallery 1917, November City of Hull Art Gallery 1924, March, Spring Exhibition Royal Institute of Oil Painters 1915, October, Piccadilly
memberships
RBA: 1895; STIAC: 1898; STIAC: President; 1902, 1913 and 1920-21; ROI: 1909; STISA: 1927-1942
misc further info
With thanks to Bill Milburn for extra detail.
references
Cornishman 17 Mar 1943 (re Lanham's Retrospective exhibition)
1901 Census
Graves RA Dictionary 1769-1904
Hardie (1995) 100 Years in Newly: Diary of a Gallery
Hardie (2009) Artists in Newlyn and West Cornwall
Notts Exhibition catalogue (repr Hardie 2009)
Tovey (2000) GF Bradshaw & STISA (Appendix 3: Principal Members of STISA 1927-1960)
Tovey (2003) Creating a Splash
Tovey (2010) Sea Change
Whitechapel Exhibition catalogue (repr Hardie 2009)
Whybrow St Ives (1994) 1883-1900 painters list
Wood (1995) Victorian Painters
Wormleighton (1998) Morning Tide
Year's Art 1902