F E McWilliam 1909 - 1992

F E McWilliam was born in Bainbridge, Co Down in 1909 and studied painting at Belfast School of Art and at the Slade School of Fine Art in London (1928-31). He returned from serving in the RAF in India during WWII to teach in London at Chelsea School of Art and the Slade. McWilliam was a contributing artist to the Festival of Britain in 1951 and was a prize-winner at the John Moores exhibition, Liverpool in 1961. He was awarded CBE in 1966 and died in 1992.

works in the collection - 1

PAC/071

Throughout his career McWilliam took the figure as the central theme of his sculpture. In the 1930's his biomorphic wood carvings reflected his interest in Surrealism, and although his work developed through several distinct phases the influence of African and Egyptian carving was a recurrent reference in his imagery.

The Orator, 1955