Norman Thelwell Exhibition at Nature in Art
Norman Thelwell (1923 -2004) was one of Britain’s most popular cartoonists to have worked in Britain since the Second World War. Although best known for his images of little girls and their ponies, his work is far more wide ranging than many realise. The countryside and environment were particular passions that informed his work and his cartoons were a powerful way for him to comment on issues of the day.
‘Wrestling with a Pencil’ was the title of Thelwell’s autobiography (1984), and in it he says, ‘My interest lies in the human dilemma, the day to day problems of life and the way we are all swept along by events or developments which we feel helpless to influence. I seem to have touched at one time or another on almost every subject under the sun, from combine harvesters to computers, rockets to ramblers, paraffin to pigs. But the predominant thread which has always run through my work is my love of and fascination with the countryside: the flesh and bones of these islands’. Thelwell’s book, ‘The Effluent Society’, which commented on environmental issues, was republished this March. (This and some other merchandise will be available in the shop.)
This exhibition will include a broad selection from a remarkable body of work produced over a lifetime. The selection was made with the assistance of Thelwell’s artist son, David, who will be artist in residence at Nature in Art in June, and Thelwell’s daughter, Penny. This selection of work reveals not just Thelwell’s skill as an artist, but also his mastery of sharp social comment and his awareness of then current and future threats. He used satire to convey serious messages about the need to preserve the natural world; many of which still have poignancy today.
David Thelwell (Norman Thelwell's son) says: "During [Thelwell's] working life his main subject was country life and the natural environment, a subject that no other cartoonist was covering. Worries about pollution and loss of nature was a concern fifty years ago. Those concerns are even stronger today."
Wrestling with a Pencil - Norman Thelwell Exhibition at Nature in Art from 6 June - 16 July 2023
Explore Gloucestershire
22 May 2023
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