About

The Artist’s Journey from Childhood to Experience

The Artist was born in Leicester and christened Rodney Arthur Ison. His little, older brother, was told daddy (Arthur) had given a baby (him) to mummy as a gift. In his mind this was a baby Arthur. He told everyone he met he was going to have a ‘bibby arfur.’ It was important therefore, that his baby brother be named Arthur. The Artist was brought up close to the countryside. This no doubt contributed to the love of open space he has and the freedom it promises.

Early Life

From a very young age he developed a passion for drawing as a way of self expression. He found solace in the gentle stokes of the pencil on paper. At times, finding himself without paper on which to draw, he drew on the margins of his father’s books. He was hardly without a pencil in his hand, often seen sketching the world around him. He wanted to capture the beauty of people and animals, and the essence of life itself.

The Child’s View

The eyes of the child saw stories in every shadow and colours in every corner. This allowed his imagination to breath life into each character or creature he drew. These early experiences honed his artistic skills. They also solidified his belief in the power of art as a universal language. In consequence, this enabled him to share his unique perspective of the world with others.

Junior school photo taken in the last year at age eleven. The Artist is fifth left, top row.

His older brother began attending school at five years old when he was three. One day after he and his mother taking his brother to school he was missing. His mother, frantic, rushed out to find him. He was being brought home by a young school attendant. He had gone to school like his brother. Next day he went missing again. His mother never discovered how he got out. The school head suggested it was safer to admit him to school than go on returning him. It wasn’t a quest for learning. He wanted to be like his brother.

Senior School

The School Itself: From junior school he won a place at Alderman Newton’s Boys Grammar School in the City center. The building still stands on Grey Friars. It was built of red brick in Victorian times. He walked down the street countless times to get to school. He never imagined he was walking past the resting place of Richard 111. His remains were later discovered and are now buried in Leicester Cathedral.

This is a view of part of the former Alderman Newton’s Boys Grammar School. It is now used as a conference center by the neighbouring cathedral. The view shows the top window of the assembly hall. The hall is the height of the top floor. It has an impressive cruck beam ceiling. Though a large space it was never large enough. It did not accommodate all the pupils together. The school always reminds the Artist of a quote of George Eliot, otherwise the Victorian writer Mary Ann Evans. She wrote of the grammar school boy: ‘…he was given a glimpse of paradise but not allowed to go in.’ He was between lower and higher school. He knew of the existence of higher school. But he was not allowed to reach the social height of the higher school boy.

Life at the School: The building was built to accommodate 500 pupils. There were about 1,000 in attendance when the Artist joined. He felt discomfort and wondered why. Later he was diagnosed with the syndrome ‘an unreasonable fear of crowds.’ This was the reason for his discomfort for which there is no known cure. Later still he discovered he has Asperger’s Syndrome.

His Ability Developed: It soon became clear he had skill in drawing and painting. At school he consistently won the art prize for his level each year. He graduated to drawing caricatures of school-masters in the style of Ronald Searle. Ronald was a masterful illustrator with a unique and inimitable style.

Ronald Searle was taken prisoner by the Japanese during World War 2 in 1942. He suffered many privations working on the notorious Burma Railroad. He managed to keep an illustrated diary which was later published as ‘To The Kwai-And Back.’ He eventually went to live in the south of France. He lived to the ripe old age of 91 and died in December 2011.

Self portrait. Executed in 1943 in the notorious Changi Gaol . He did not expect to survive. He did and by it brought untold pleasure to others.

In Search of a Style

Early Development: The Artist showcased a remarkable ability to capture the essence of the masters in a humorous light. His newfound skill made for immense popularity with most of his classmates. They delighted in his funny yet poignant depictions of their tutors. They would hardly wait for him to finish a drawing before snatching it away and carrying it off in triumph.

Cartoon by the Artist when young in the style of Ronald Searle.

This was one not pilfered, one which managed to escape clutching hands. The subject is of a master the Artist did not like. He put him in the role of a prison warder he had heard about. The warder was reported to be ‘not a nice man.’ He had an evil reputation among the inmates.

Hotels at that time offered a shoe cleaning service. The guests left their shoes outside the door of their room. During the night they were taken and polished by the ‘Boot Boy.’ Next day the guest would find their shoes bright and well shone.

At a Crossroads

Upon Leaving School: His passion for art was unwavering. Yet his parents did not allow him to continue studying it. They believed instead he should pursue a more stable occupation. They were alarmed by the antics and morality, or lack of it, of many prominent artists of the day. They perceived them as extravagant and reckless individuals who lost themselves to their caprice.

Life’s Course: They wanted to protect him from degradation and give him a traditional career. This was one they thought would safeguard his future. It would keep him from straying down what they considered a precarious path. Their choice protected him from dissolute influence. At the same time it limited his development as an artist. Even at that age he did not subscribe to the Work Ethic. Get a job, any job will do so long as it earns a living. He has always strongly believed everyone be allowed to find their vocation.