More Artist Scarves

Donald Hamilton Fraser 1929 - 2009

Donald Hamilton Fraser for The Genius of Venice exhibition at The Royal Academy, 1983/4

Born in London, Donald Hamilton Fraser studied at St. Martin’s School of Art (1949-52).

The ballet and landscape were common themes in Donald’s work, which was largely figurative and influenced by the School of Paris, where he studied from 1953-1954. He taught at the Royal College of Art from 1957-83 and was elected RA in 1985.

The scarf pictured above was designed by Donald for The Genius of Venice exhibition that opened at The Royal Academy of Arts in 1983. The central image of the harlequin was taken from a hand painted valentine's card that he had made for his wife. Apparently he made one for her every year. I do remember that we had to take great care of it and return it to her safe and sound.

Abstract by Donald Hamilton Fraser, early 1980s

 Donald Hamilton Fraser was a very kind and gentle man and a wonderful colourist. He visited us at Beckford on a number of occasions and my father got on with him particularly well. He lived at Henley on Thames in a beautiful house next door to the Leander Club and the year that my brother Charles was rowing at Henley in the final of the under 18s, he invited our family for a delicious lunch before we watched the race in the afternoon. My brother's crew were beaten but this in no way diminished a wonderful day.

Artist Scarves

I've been looking back through our archives at Artist Scarves that we have produced in the past, following a phone call from The Tate who are interested in re-launching a selection of them next year and I realise that we have a pretty impressive collection that reads like a who's who of 20th century artists.
I thought I would share some of them with you and the stories behind them. Here are the first two.

Patrick Heron 1920 - 1999

Gourmet by Patrick Heron

Born in Leeds, the son of TM Heron, the founder of Cresta Silks. As a child he lived for some time in Cornwall where he eventually settled at Zennor, St. Ives.

Patrick Heron studied at the Slade School of Fine Art (1937-9). As a conscientious objector during World War II he worked on the land, also having a short time at the Leach Pottery in St. Ives.

In the mid 1950’s Patrick Heron began to paint abstract works and he was Britain’s  strongest link with the New York Abstract Expressionists.

This scarf was produced for a major exhibition of his work at the Tate in London in 1998. Unfortunately not well enough at the time to produce a new design, my father went to visit him and Patrick Heron chose this design (originally done in 1969) from his archive and then worked with James on re-colouring it for the exhibition.

Gillian Ayres 1930 -

Design by Gillian Ayres

Painter, mural artist and teacher, born in London where she mainly works. Gillian was married for a time to the painter Henry Mundy, and has taught at Bath Academy of Art, St. Martin’s School of Art, Winchester School of Art and The Royal College of Art.

Her work is richly coloured and in fact her original scarf design contained many more colours. In order to make the scarf commercially viable we had to bring the number of screens down to ten and so when Gillian visited us at Beckford, she went through the design with us, pointing out exactly which shade of colours she wanted us to use.

I remember her being a very nervous character and a complete chain smoker! She had obviously had a bad experience in the past and was paranoid that her colours were going to be 'messed about with'. Because of this it was particularly gratifying when she telephoned me on receiving the proof, to say how thrilled she was with the finished result.