KNAPP-FISHER, John

1931 - 2015

John Arthur Knapp-Fisher was born at Kensington, London on 2 August 1931, son of Arthur Bedford Knapp-Fisher (15 March 1888-26 June 1965), professor of architecture at the Royal College of Art, and his wife Heather Florence Mary Philip (25 August 1902-17 August 1979), eldest daughter of Dr Edward Philip, who married at St Luke's Church, Redcliffe Square, London on 15 September 1926, both died at Hadleigh, Suffolk. After schooling at St Andrews, Pangbourne and Eastbourne School of Arts and Crafts, John studied graphic design and typography at Maidstone College of Art 1951-1953. After two years in the army, John then worked as an exhibition designer and typographer and from 1958 as a theatre designer, during which time he began painting. He married at Marylebone, London in 1960, Sheila M. Bassett when they lived on a boat gallery in which they sailed the rivers and harbours of Suffolk, including Pin Mill, Ipswich with his parents address at 92 Benton Street, Hadleigh, Suffolk. Their two children were born in Ipswich, Alan in 1962 and Lucinda in 1964, the couple later divorced. A landscape painter, preferring to paint from notes and drawings in his sketchbooks rather than from photographs, as a result, his favourite subjects are local to his studio at Ffynnon Ceisiad, Whitland, Carmarthenshire and he was known particularly for his depictions of the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales. In 1992, elected a member of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art and regularly exhibited his paintings from his boat, in and around Suffolk when they were advertised locally also holding a major Suffolk exhibition at the Festival Gallery, Aldeburgh in 1966. He also exhibited at the Royal Academy and across Europe, including in Africa and North America with his largest exhibition in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he displayed over sixty paintings. John Arthur Knapp-Fisher lived at Trevigan Cottage, Croes-goch, Haverfordwest in North Pembrokeshire with his partner, Gillian Pare and died at Withybush General Hospital, Haverfordwest on 21 February 2015.

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Works by This Artist