GALLERY

LAWSON E RUDGE

Celebrating 50 years of making!

Nationally renowned artist, Lawson E Rudge, began his artistic career by studying painting and ceramics at Stourbridge College of Art in the West Midlands from 1955 – 57. From a highly traditional and academic training in painting, life drawing, figure composition and landscape, Lawson began to rebel against such a formal practice and became more expressive and less representational in his work. It was at this point during the 1960’s that he began to use images from his paintings and transform them into three-dimensional forms using various materials.

Through constant work, development of rapid mould making methods and the use of Raku type firing processes, it was possible to obtain the flexibility and the qualities that were so apparent in his two dimensional work that Lawson wished to achieve.

With special reference to the ‘Flat Cow’: A much sought after piece, the Flat Cow was a result of painting a country landscape which considered the play and relationship that three dimensional subjects have on a two dimensional surface, which then becomes again a three dimensional object. Lawson has turned the role of the 3D object into that of a 2D surface, hence the cow being “flat”. It becomes the canvas.

Numbers, mainly two and five, feature frequently in his painting and sculpture, and for many years their meaning was a mystery even to him. He now thinks, however, that their origins come from the days when he was a steam train spotter. He says – ‘If one forgets the numerical values of two and five and views them in an abstract way, they can relate to the wheels of a steam engine, or to the movement of a swan, and more.'

Lawson has work in many collections across the World and in galleries, museums and universities across the United Kingdom.