Nationality: English
Born in 1922, Fred Yates grew up in Urmston, a suburb of Manchester. His career as an insurance clerk was cut short by the outbreak of war and he served in the Grenadier Guards until 1945 when he returned to Manchester as a painter and decorator.
Untutored, but with tremendous self-discipline, Fred began to paint pictures of the rich industrial architecture of Manchester, the red brick terraces and the commotion and humour of street life - a theme that the artist is still concerned with, even in his recent paintings. He subsequently enrolled on a teacher training course at Bournemouth College of Art and in 1950 won a travelling scholarship to Rome and Florence.
He taught for twenty years battling continuously against artistic sophistication, for him, beauty resided in "simplicity and a child's mind". In 1969 Fred gave up teaching and moved to Cornwall to enable him to devote all his energy to painting. While he still painted scenes, remembered from his childhood in Manchester, he also worked on sunnier landscapes, new faces and activities that surrounded him.
His paintings are included in many private and public collections including Brighton and Hove Art Gallery, Liverpool University, the University of Warwick, Torquay Art Gallery and Russell Coates Gallery Bournemouth.
Solo Exhibitions:
Group Exhibitions:
Born in 1922, Fred Yates grew up in Urmston, a suburb of Manchester. His career as an insurance clerk was cut short by the outbreak of war and he served in the Grenadier Guards until 1945 when he returned to Manchester as a painter and decorator.
Untutored, but with tremendous self-discipline, Fred began to paint pictures of the rich industrial architecture of Manchester, the red brick terraces and the commotion and humour of street life - a theme that the artist is still concerned with, even in his recent paintings. He subsequently enrolled on a teacher training course at Bournemouth College of Art and in 1950 won a travelling scholarship to Rome and Florence.
He taught for twenty years battling continuously against artistic sophistication, for him, beauty resided in "simplicity and a child's mind". In 1969 Fred gave up teaching and moved to Cornwall to enable him to devote all his energy to painting. While he still painted scenes, remembered from his childhood in Manchester, he also worked on sunnier landscapes, new faces and activities that surrounded him.
His paintings are included in many private and public collections including Brighton and Hove Art Gallery, Liverpool University, the University of Warwick, Torquay Art Gallery and Russell Coates Gallery Bournemouth.
Solo Exhibitions:
| 2008 | Muck and Brass, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2007 | Book Launch, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2006 | Flowers and Faces, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2005 | Fred Yates at ArtLONDON, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2003 | Twelve Months in Provence, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2003 | The Lost Paintings, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2002 | 80th Birthday Exhibition |
Group Exhibitions:
| 2008 | London Art Fair, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2006 | New Year Exhibition, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2006 | In to the Jungle - A Homage to Rousseau, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2005 | Summer Exhibition, John Martin Gallery, London | |
| 2005 | Fred Yates at ArtLONDON, John Martin Gallery, London |
Fred Yates
1922-2008
- Available Works
- Past Exhibitions
- Additional Information
- Past Exhibitions
- Additional Information
The John Martin Gallery has been the main dealer for Fred Yates for the past 15 years and held many great exhibitions of his work. If you would like more information on Fred Yates, his life and work, please contact the gallery. A web-site has been set up to archive memories of Fred www.fredyates.org please feel free to add any comment or anecdotes of your own.
The gallery is also interested in collecting images of Fred's work and in purchasing key works.