Charles Sutton 1929 - 2009
British landscape and figure painter in oils and watercolours, and later abstraction.
Sutton studied at Wimbledon School of Art and first exhibited with the ‘Young Contemporaries’ exhibition in 1950 and was immediately commissioned to produce a series of murals for Wimbledon Public Library and St Marks church. In 1979 he gave up his career as a successful illustrator, his teaching at St Martins School of Art and all other commitments to concentrate on his painting. His skills initially led him towards a completely figurative style and he exhibited regularly in London and the south east of England.
In time he became more fascinated by a sense of three-dimensional space and his work moved towards a constructive abstraction. Never was he to return to pure figurative work and his love affair with Cornwall and the influence of such artists as De Stael and the St Ives School would bring a new energy and a dramatic palette to his poetic land and seascapes. Even his figure studies of Cornish miners have abstract overtones.
He was a frequent exhibitor, including at the Royal Academy and his works are in several public collections: a number are in the personal collection of HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, who was a considerable admirer and supporter.