Francis Hoyland on beginnings, teaching and geometry Creative Conversations

Artist and teacher Francis Hoyland reflects on his early life, beginnings of his teaching career—and how geometry and philosophy shape his work.

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Biography

Francis Hoyland (b. Selly Oak, Birmingham, UK 1930) studied painting at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and the Slade School of Fine Art. He won the Abbey Minor scholarship to visit Italy in 1951 and later taught at the West of England College of Art, Bristol, Chelsea School of Art, Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts (1966-92) and for the Royal Drawing School. He wrote 'Painting' in 1966, 'Alive to Paint' and 'Painter's Diary' in 1997.

He had solo shows at Galerie de Seine (1956), Beaux Arts Gallery (1960 & 1961); a retrospective at the South London Gallery (1969); 'Diptychs of the Life of Christ' were exhibited at Chichester and Southwark Cathedrals (1972); 'The Forgotten Fifties', which toured from Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield (1984), and participated in 'Camberwell Artists of the 40s and 50s', Belgrave Gallery (1988). Other exhibitions included at Sweet Waters Gallery, London (1990), Chappel Galleries, Colchester (2002, 2025), and North Light Gallery, Huddersfield (2004). In 2003, 91 of Hoyland's etchings of the 'Life of Christ' were shown at the British Museum.