Original James Cleaver ARCA Watercolour Painting Llanberis Pass Snowdonia - Art.

One of many I purchased as part of a portfolio of his works

Unframed in mount

James Cleaver A.R.C.A. 1911-2003.

Born in East Dulwich, started work. at 15 years as an Insurance clerk in the City. Took evening classes at Camberwell Art School, where the tutors, including Eric Fraser, inspired him to take up art full time; obtained a scholarship to the Royal College and went on to gain his ARCA, in 1938 under the tutelage of RV Pitchforth RA, Prof Gilbert Spencer, & Barnett Freedman.

Worked on murals for the UK pavilion at New York World's Fair. At weekends he would work at the Barn Theatre in Shere, Surrey, where young enthusiasts and writers put on plays for the public in a rural barn. The outbreak of war took him to the Govt. Camouflage Unit; he was called up to the Infantry then into the Army Educational Corps. After the war, he resumed work on theatre stage design with the Intimate Opera Theatre Company, and Ballet Rambert, often unpaid and worked backstage at the Old Vic, whilst writing his first book. From 1945, he taught at St. Martins, Sutton, Gravesend, and Farnham Art Schools, then from 1950-75 worked full time at what became the London College of Printing.

PUBLICATIONS: The Theatre Through the Ages 1946 (Harrap) with US revision in 1964, (Hart) The Theatre at Work, 1948, a Puffin picture book, also in France (Fernand Nathan) and A History of Graphic Art (Peter Owen) in 1965 and 1974, (ep) Followed by a series of 10 promotional leaflets in loose binder on the Art of Lithography, (Tullis Russell) 1970-1972. Wrote an appreciation of the work of Henry Bird for the Society of Authors magazine, 1994. During the fifties James did occasional freelance illustration work for Hultons, I Spy, Eagle and Girl, the Observer, Radio Times, and produced educational filmstrips with Yevonde, photographer

On retirement in 1975 he resumed painting land and seascapes and joined local life and portrait groups in the Southend area. Painting trips regularly took him to Canterbury, Chichester, the Cotswolds, Shropshire and Wales where in each he would meet up with former colleagues. He found new stimulus at Mount Pleasant, Reigate, an artists' retreat where he met interesting company and kindred spirits.

EXHIBITS Exhibited at Royal Academy Summer 1939, and various regional galleries during the 40s-60s. Royal Society of Painters in Watercolours, Bankside, Outwood and The Arts Club. The Art of World War II. Solo exhibitions: 1974-98, Poplar Gallery, Birmingham, Ladywell Gallery, Lewisham, The Arts Club, Mayfair, Southend Library and latterly Beecroft Gallery, Westcliff.

Posthumous exhibit of portraits at Southend Library, September 2005, James retained his love of the theatre, and of painting, and his interest in printed media until his death at his Southend home in December 2003.

Words by Julian Cleaver 2005.