Historical Artist - Brian Wildsmith

Brian Wildsmith was born on the 22nd January 1930. He loved music and playing the piano. He wanted be be a research chemist because he thought he was good at science. At the age of 16 he realized he wasn't happy in the course he was in and decided that he would much rather be spending his time being creative. As soon as he had the realization, he went straight to the headmaster and told him he was leaving for an art school, the Barnsley School of Art.

His portfolio only consisted of drawings of cubes, spheres and triangles and a couple of motor cars. He was offered a place and they gave him the basic training, including courses in architecture, perspective, anatomy, still life and sketching from memory.

He admired avant-guard artists such as Picasso, Klee.

The first job he got was a the Barnsley Chronicle. He pitched the idea that he would go to worker men's clubs, interview retired miners while drawing them. His idea was accepted, under the condition that he was only paid for his published works. When drawing his subjects they were drinking, chatting, playing cards and dominoes. In the end the Barnsley Chronicle only ended up publishing 10 or so articles with Wildsmiths work included. They had started getting complaints from the models Wildsmith had used, claiming that he had depicted them as ' Ugly '. 

Wentworth Woodhouse was a magnificent place, it was the largest private residence in the United Kingdom, with the largest country house in Europe, with 300 rooms. Wildsmith had been told by his piers that some of the ancient Greek styled statues would be worth a study, and after seeing them, he agreed. He asked for permission to be able to draw the decorations and residence inside the Wentworth, and was accepted. It was here that he would meet his future wife, Aurélie.

At the end of his course at Barnsley School of Art, Wildsmith elwas encouraged to apply for further education. He chose the Slade, in London, as he had heard nothing but good things about the art course. He was told he had applied too late and would need to try again next year. 

Wildsmith knew that if he waited a year to apply for the course, he would probably end up in the mining and steel working inderstries to support him and his family financially. Wildsmith called the  Slade back and demanded to speak to the Principal, who then invited him for an interview.

Not knowing what to take for his portfolio, Wildsmith took some of, what he thought was, his ' best work '. After arriving at the school his interview was with Professor William Cold stream, who took Wildsmith's work and left him in his study and come back half an hour later, after uncessessfully locating a colleague. He ten, off his own accord, accepted Wildsmith as a student and awarded him a scholarship. 

https://www.brianwildsmith.com/chapter-2-1950-1961-early-london-years-the-slade-school-of-art-and-first-commissioned-illustrations