Ian Lawrence

 

 I am an abstract artist living and working between Brighton and St. Leonards-on-Sea. Originally trained as an antique scientific instrument restorer, I gave this up to work as an assistant to my father, Don Lawrence, who was a world famous science fiction illustrator. Best known for his character ‘Storm’, he received the Order of Orange from the Dutch for his work. On leaving his employ, perhaps as a reaction to the intensely detailed work, I started working on large abstract landscapes. These were very successful and very soon I was exhibiting in Tunbridge Wells, London, Cornwall and Wales. 

 

Artist-in-Residence

 

From 2001 - 2006 I was Artist-in-Residence with Connex (later Southeastern), the first Residency of its kind. I was given a studio on platform 1 of St. Leonards Warrior Square station. The aim of the Residency was not only to bring contemporary art to an unusual and easily accessible location, but also to work with local schools and youth groups to broaden their appreciation of modern painting. To this end, over the five years of the Residency, I did a series of Open Studios across the region, turning a Waiting Room or an empty shop into my temporary studio. I also ran projects with local schools. These were sponsored by local businesses and culminated in an exhibition at St. Leonards Warrior Square station. Many of these shows were extensively covered in the Press and the photographic exhibition with the children of the Fellowship of St. Nicholas got a slot on the BBC Six O’clock News. The tile installation that I did with a local school can still be seen in the Waiting Room of St. Leonards Warrior Square station.

 

RHS Hampton Court Flower Show

 

In 2007, working with gardener Francesca Cleary, I designed a show garden for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. Called Mangetout, it was sponsored by Dial-a-Flight and was based on a formal 18th Century garden. The self-imposed limitation on the garden was that all the plants were edible. The water features that were the focal point of each corner were also designed by me. The garden won a Silver-Gilt medal and can still be seen on line.