Gerald Marks
1921 – 2018
Memorial Exhibition
Preview: Wednesday 7th November 5.30pm – 8pm
Public Viewing Day: Saturday 10th November 11.00am – 4pm
Gerald Marks was born in London in 1921. He showed a precocious ability to paint and draw and an interest in left wing politics. His art education took place at Central School of Art in London but was interrupted by war service. Bernard Meninsky taught him and had a profound effect on the work he produced during the late forties and fifties, which consisted mainly of figure and portrait paintings.
Towards the late fifties Gerald’s work became more abstract as reflected in his 1962 solo exhibition in the Drian Gallery. He taught in a full-time teaching post at Croydon College of Art from 1961 for 25 years and during this time changed from using oil paints to working with acrylics. His pictures also became larger and more gestural in content.
After Gerald retired in 1986 he spent a number of months each year painting in Southern France, producing some of the best work of his life druing the 80’s and 90’s. The wild landscapes of the Cevennes were a major inspiration.