FRED YATES
1922 – 2008. “Painter and teacher, born in Urmston, Manchester. His career as an insurance clerk was interrupted by the war, during which he served in Grenadier Guards, in 1945 returning to Manchester as a painter and decorator. He began to paint Manchester streetlife as an untutored artist, enrolled for a teacher training course at Bournemouth College of Art and in 1950 won a travelling scholarship to Italy. After teaching for about 20 years he moved to Cornwall to paint full-time. While attempting to retain his Primitive style, he added to the Manchester scenes Cornish harbours, images of France and more visionary subjects. Showed at John Moores Exhibition, Liverpool; Compass Gallery, Glasgow; Newlyn Orion Gallery; RA; Redfern Gallery; and in 1992 had a solo show at Thompson’s Galler. Latterly lived in Provence, France.” – ‘Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945′ by David Buckman.