About David Cottrell

A painter currently living and painting in West Cornwall.

David has a BA degree from Falmouth School of Art in Fine Art and a MFA (Master of Fine Art) degree from Newcastle University. He was awarded the ‘Painting Prize’ for his work in the degree shows at Falmouth and a David Murray Summer Studentship from the RA. He was also a regional prize winner in the ‘Discerning Eye’ show of 2005. he has exhibited widely.

David was an Art Educator for most of his life. He was Head of Art at Sheringham High School 2002–2006 and Head of Art at Al Ain English Speaking School, Al Ain, UAE 2006 – 2009.

Usually David returns for 2 months or more to the UAE every year (not so during Covid 19 restrictions) where his married naturalised daughter and grandchildren live. Consequently, many of David’s pictures feature aspects of life in the UAE and Oman.

He has visited many other cities on ‘Art Study Visits’ with Art Advisory Services including New York, Paris, Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Prague, Moscow, St Petersburg, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Bologna, Ravenna, Florence, Venice.

He has paintings in collections in several countries and major works in the public collections of Bedfordshire Education Service, University Funding Council – Bristol and the Hatton Gallery Permanent Collection - University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

David’s paintings attempt to convey a personal feeling for the figure or environments through a reliance on the formal qualities of composition and mark making and through an often rigorous evolution of ‘paring down’ and reworking rather than a reliance on naturalistic detail. They often incorporate an essential ambiguity which David sees as reflecting the nature of reality.

Exhibitions, Awards, Education Etc.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS (Major Works).

Bedfordshire Education Service.

University Funding Council – Bristol.

Hatton Gallery Permanent Collection - University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

AWARDS

David Murray Studentship: RA 1977

The ‘Painting Prize’: Falmouth School of Art dDegree shows 1978.

Regional Prize Winner ‘Discerning Eye’, Mall Gallery 2005

EDUCATION

Falmouth School of Art : 1975 to 1978 (BA Hons Fine Art)

East Sussex Uni: 1980 to 1981 PGCE (ATC)

Newcastle University: 1989 to 1991 MFA (Master of Fine Art Degree)

EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitions (mixed)

1978 Falmouth School of Art Degree Shows.

1983 Stantonbury Arts Centre, Milton Keynes.

1983 Bedford County Hall.

1984 Milton Keynes Exhibition Centre.

1987 Stamford Arts Centre, Open Exhibition.

1988 Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield, Open Exhibition.

1988 Camden Arts Centre, Open Exhibition.

1989 Mander College, Bedford and Travelling Exhibition to Greece.

1989 Hunting Group: Mall Galleries, London (Tour) .

1990 Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University, ‘Work in Progress’. (Students from the School of Fine Art).

1990 Newcastle Polytechnic, ‘Small Works’.

1991 Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University, ‘Work in Progress’. (Students from the School of Fine Art).

1991 Universities Funding Council Exhibition – Bristol.

1991 Newcastle University MFA Shows, Hatton Gallery.

1992 Newcastle Polytechnic, St Oswald’s Hospice Exhibition.

1993 Riviera Gallery, Hastings.

1993 Hastings Exhibitions, The Bourne, Hastings.

1994 ‘Winter Mixture’, Stormont Studio, Rye Art Gallery.

1996 Hunting Group: RCA London (Tour).

1997 Hunting Group: RCA London (Tour).

1997 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

1997 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London..

1998 Hunting Group: RCA London (Tour).

1998 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London.

1998-2001 Gallery Artist: Ogilvy Estill Contemporary Art, Conwy, North Wales.

1999 Hunting Group: RCA London (Tour).

1999 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

1999 ‘Coastal Currents’ Exhibition Electro Studies.

1999 ‘New English Art Club’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

1999 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London.

1999-2001 Gallery Artist: Hicks Gallery, Wimbledon.

2000 Hunting Group: RCA (Tour)).

2000 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London

2000 ‘Discerning Eye’ Battersea Park, London(The Affordable Art Show).

2000 ‘New English Art Club’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

2000 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’ Mall Galleries, London.

2001 Hunting Group: RCA London (Tour).

2001 Mall Galleries, London: ‘In House’ exhibition.

2001 Royal Society of British Artists: Mall Galleries, London.

2001 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

2001 ‘Art At Work’: Hastings Borough Council Public Art Placement.

2001 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’ Mall Galleries, London.

2002 ‘ Royal Society of British Artists: Mall Galleries, London.

2002 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

2002 ‘New English Art Club’: Mall Galleries, London.

2002 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London.

2003 Sheringham Little Theatre Open: Dec02/Jan03.

2003 (Feb/March).Waterline Arts Group at Burlington Lodge, Sheringham.

2003 Norfolk Cont. Art Soc. ‘Open Studios 03’.

2003 (April/May). Waterline Arts Group at Burlington Lodge, Sheringham.

2003 (Sept/Oct). Waterline Arts Group at Burlington Lodge, Sheringham.

2003 (Oct /Nov). Waterline Arts Group at Burlington Lodge, Sheringham.

2003 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

2003 ‘New English Art Club’: Mall Galleries, London.

2003 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London.

2004 ‘Royal Society of British Artists’: Mall Galleries, London.

2004 ‘SuperNova’, Exhibition of ‘Nova’ artists at Hobart Gallery, Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

2004 ‘Undefended’ Happisburgh appeal. Barron Lodge Farm, Happisburgh, Norfolk.

2004 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London.

2004 ‘New English Art Club’: Mall Galleries, London.

2005 Hunting Group: RCA London .

2005 ‘Discerning Eye’ Exhibition: Mall Galleries, London. (Awarded the ‘regional prize’)

2005 ‘New English Art Club’: Mall Galleries, London.

2005 ‘Royal Institute of Oil Painters’: Mall Galleries, London.

2005 ‘Autumn Mixture’, artists at Hobart Gallery, Blickling Hall, Norfolk.

2011 ‘Unlaced’: Winbourne Arts Festival 2011

2012 ‘Unlaced’: Wymondham Arts Centre 2012

2014 ‘Middleofnovawhere’. Whitton, Norfolk.

2014 NOVA at Worstead Festival, Norfolk.

2015 Norfolk Open Studios (including ‘Taster’ exhibition: ‘The Forum’ Norwich & ‘The Atrium’ North Walsham).

2015 ‘Naked in Norwich’: The Art Church, Norwich. (Work from life drawing group, Wensum Lodge.

Organised by The 20 Group).

2015 NOVA at Worstead Festival, Norfolk.

2015 ‘Flights of Fancy’, ‘The Bank’, Eye, Suffolk.

2018 Breeze Art Fair, Penzance.

2018 Bristol Art Fair.

2016 to 2019 Meta Gallery, Penzance. (gallery Artist)

2016, 17, 18 & 19 ‘Drawing From Life’ Redwing Gallery. Penzance.

2019 to 2021 Webbs Fine Art, London. (gallery Artist)

2021 ‘PZ 11’ (The PZ 11 group at the PZ Gallery, Penzance).

EXHIBITIONS
(Exhibitions) One Person

1979 Haymarket Theatre, Leicester.

1984 ‘The Gallery’, Wellingborough.

1984 Stantonbury Arts Centre, Milton Keynes.

1984 Stevenage Leisure Centre.

1984 Bedford Museum.

1985 Letchworth Museum. 1992 Jesmond Squash and Racket Club.

1992 Newcastle Playhouse Theatre.

2001 ‘Calm, Mystery and Foreboding’: Electro Studios Gallery, St Leonards on Sea. (Coastal Currents).

2003 ‘Calm, Mystery and Foreboding’: Sheringham Little Theatre.

2004 C21 Gallery, Mundesley, Norfolk.

2007 Hilton Hotel, Al Ain UAE

2007 Teachers compound, Al Khabisi, Al Ain, UAE

2008 Teachers compound, Al Khabisi, Al Ain, UAE

2008 Tawam University Teaching Hospital, Al Ain UAE.

Also: ‘open Studios’ Cornwall 2017 & 2019.