Penlee House is delighted to celebrate the centenary of Fred Yates’s birth with an exhibition that looks deeply into Yates’ relationship with Cornwall and the Cornish people. Cornwall was where he learnt how to be an artist, where he attracted his first collectors, a place he loved and the place where he is buried.
Fred Yates was born in Urmston, Lancashire in 1922. With a serviceman’s grant he enrolled at Bournemouth College where he received a formal education in drawing, printmaking and painting. He then taught in Devon and the South Coast for the next 20 years.
In 1968 he made the decision to quit teaching and become a full-time painter, moving to Cornwall where he could develop his style, supplementing his income with gardening work for neighbours. Most of his early work was painted outdoors on rough boards using household paints.
We are incredibly grateful to The John Martin Gallery, London for their help in organising this exhibition. The gallery represented Yates for almost 20 years and have managed to track down some of the most extraordinary paintings to have passed through the gallery in order that this collection of Cornish works be shown together for the very first time.
Fred Yates In Cornwall will be on display from 12 October 2022 until 7 January 2023.
