GLYNN BOYD HARTE
Glynn (1848 - 2003) studied at the Rochdale School of Art; St Martin's and the Royal College of Art tutored by Edward Bawden and Peter Blake amongst others. He became one of the most brilliant and influential illustrators and painters of the post-pop world of London in the early 1970’s. He drew brilliantly with a firmness of line, a great sense of humour and extravagant colour. He was a deft artist in tempera, crayon and pencil. His subject matter ranged from cityscapes to tablescapes, travel, buildings and food which he often illustrated for newspaper articles. In 1972 Glynn married Caroline Bullock - an artist and companion for life.
The Boyd Hartes spent many Christmases with us over the years, Glynn on the gin and tonic composing away on an old piano or painting for his next exhibition. They were both members of the Art Workers Guild with Glynn becoming Master in 1996 inaugurating very amusing Christmas pantomimes with fabulous songs and outrageous costumes. The last being Jack And The Bean-Sprout in 2001.
In 1979, Glynn produced a set of lithographs of London power stations, Temples Of Power, with an introduction and architectural notes by Gavin Stamp, and a foreword by John Betjeman. This venture was the beginning of the great interest that historians took in power stations, which eventually led to the remodelling of Bankside as Tate Modern. His illustrations for John Betjeman's Metro-Land 1977 revived hand-drawn lithography as a medium for book illustration, printed at the Curwen Studio.
In 1991 Glynn produced many designs for our falling down farm house we restored, including ‘Chippendale’ outdoor fencing and steps, elaborate porches, a John Soane inspired octagon skylight for a small library and bamboo stencilling inside the hall. His imagination ran riot and the results are outstanding.
Glynn became artist-in-residence during the rebuilding of the Royal Opera House, and his paintings of the work in progress were exhibited on the re-opening night in December 1999. He followed this with studies of various millennium projects, exhibited at the Museum of London in 2000.
He was an aesthete, highly intelligent and very amusing albeit sometimes a little sharp, passionate about design and architecture and never stopped working and exhibited regularly. He loved France and spent many happy times at their house at Veules les Roses in Normandy. Life in Glynn’s company could never be described as dull.
Publications include A Weekend in Dieppe, 1981, Venice 1988 and Mr.Harte's Holiday 1988.
Please note that images of more works for sale will be added in the near future.
