About | Roy Abell

Roy Abell (A.R.C.A and R.B.S.A) was born in Birmingham in 1931. He attended the Birmingham College of Art between 1947-1952 before being accepted at The Royal College of Art in London.

Roy’s paintings were a response to the visual world around him. His subjects were vast and wide ranging, however his principal subjects were figurative and landscape, most particularly the wild landscapes of Spain, England, Scotland, Wales and especially the rugged coast of Pembrokeshire.

Roy taught at the Birmingham College of Art from 1957-1982, and was made Head of the Painting School in 1974. He also served as a member of the West Midlands Arts - Fine Arts Panel. Roy exhibited in many solo and joint exhibitions across the country and his work is represented in public collections all over the UK: Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery, National Museum of Wales and Arts Council of Great Britain. Roy received a number of commissions during his career, most notably one of the six Alexander Howden Jubilee Awards - Great British Achievements in 1977.

Roy was also a former English cricketer who played for Warwickshire County from 1960 - 1968.

In his own words

"My work derives from the visual world. I want my paintings to convey as best I can the marvels of the world and the richness of its appearance. To a large extent the subject matter has remained the same throughout my life apart from the additions to it in the shape of children and grandchildren, but I change as I get older and need to rework the oil paintings to make them acceptable to me.

The paintings broadly divide into two types
Those done on the spot in one go, usually in water-colour and specific to the subject and
Those done in the studio over longer periods. mostly in oils and more generalised in their aims.

I have striven to embrace within the imagery of the paintings those elements which contribute to the experience of a situation but are not visible. The sound of the sea and feel of the wind are as real as the things we see but are not discover in a waiting in any straightforward way.

Another consideration has been to make the studio work, which is of necessity contrived, appear to be an immediate visual response as in the water-colours.

These ideas sustain me in my endeavours and nothing seems to be to be more worthwhile than being a painter and taking part in one of life's more civilising activities."

Film

Watch this short video to hear Roy talking about his work in his own words.