The Art Collections of St. Ives

In this Art history lecture Catherine talks about her recent experience of cataloguing and researching St. Ives Town Council’s art collection which is not well known beyond St. Ives. 

With works spanning from the early 19th century to the 21st century the Town’s collection not only includes depictions of St. Ives from some of the Towns’ most prominent maritime painters, such as Louis Munro Grier, John Anthony Park, and Robert Borlase Smart, it also includes portraits by Leonard Fuller who came to run the St. Ives School of Painting in 1938. Other towns and harbours in Cornwall are also depicted including Nancledra, Porthleven, Hayle and Portreath. 

There are several works by women artists in the collection including Mary McCrossan, Dorothy Bayley and Winifred Freeman, along with W. Barns- Graham and Clare White. 

Dame Barbara Hepworth was given the Freedom of St. Ives in 1968 and the town is home to several major works by this prominent British sculptor from monumental bronzes to table top size work. 

St. Ives Town Council also has a small but important collection of ceramics featuring Bernard Leach, Shinsaku Hamada, and Janet Leach.  Catherine also includes in this lecture other collections of art held by various artist societies in St. Ives.

Catherine Wallace is a freelance art historian, author, curator and lecturer specialising in British art with a focus on artists in Cornwall 1880 to the present day. www.cathwallace.co.uk

Tickets: £12

A £1 Poly Fund payment is added to each ticket sold

Image Used: Nancledra, oil, 1938 by Bernard Ninnes  © St. Ives Town Council