About Don Collishaw
Artist Biography
31/05/2024
Don Collishaw was born in Nottingham, England and attended schools in the Broxtowe and Bilborough estates of the city. He now lives in Forest Row, East Sussex.
He was introduced to serious art while at The Glaisdale Bilateral School (with grammar streams within a secondary modern school). At the time Glaisdale School was a showcase school with facilities in art, pottery, woodwork and metalwork of a very high standard. Art lessons included visits to exhibitions in Nottingham Castle including old masters and up to the minute abstract work. He was encouraged to try all styles and left with what became a lifelong interest in art. At this time, he was particularly influenced by the work of Paul Gauguin.
However, a career in accountancy was ahead. Audit work with a local Nottingham firm and then Price Waterhouse, in London, resulted in practical experience in a wide range of different commercial enterprises. Subsequent experience with grocery retail, wholesale and manufacturing, film studios and cinema advertising (Shepperton / Pearl and Dean), defence electronics and charities (RSPCA) widened his knowledge. During this career, where he occasionally used drawing in paperwork designs, he kept his interest in art through exhibition visits, mural painting, designing board games and making posters and other art work for Scouting and other voluntary organisations.
To develop his artistic skills, Don joined a number of weekend courses run by Hamish Rosie, a personal friend. He studied life drawing for two years with David Hensel. For specific mediums Don has attended two courses run by Tony Hogan. He has spent two weeks with Chris Bell of Art Toscana, two weeks with Maca Lucic in Croatia and a week with Turkish Painting holidays gaining a wider knowledge of art techniques.
Currently, Don is a leading member of Ashdown Arts based in Forest Row (with whom he has exhibited since 2010). He was also a leading member in Bridge Arts in Uckfield from 2012 until 2022 when it closed. Don has also participated in independent exhibitions. South East Open Studios, and exhibited locally in solo exhibitions..
Don’s painting Wildwood achieved a “Highly Commended” in the Finals of the SAA Artist of the Year Competition in 2016, and, in 2019 The Sun Never Sets was similarly rewarded. In June 2017 his painting Dragon’s Breath was in the final selection for the Pébéo Mixed Media Art Prize and Exhibition 2017, organised by the manufacturer, and was on display at the Strand Gallery, London.
He was introduced to serious art while at The Glaisdale Bilateral School (with grammar streams within a secondary modern school). At the time Glaisdale School was a showcase school with facilities in art, pottery, woodwork and metalwork of a very high standard. Art lessons included visits to exhibitions in Nottingham Castle including old masters and up to the minute abstract work. He was encouraged to try all styles and left with what became a lifelong interest in art. At this time, he was particularly influenced by the work of Paul Gauguin.
However, a career in accountancy was ahead. Audit work with a local Nottingham firm and then Price Waterhouse, in London, resulted in practical experience in a wide range of different commercial enterprises. Subsequent experience with grocery retail, wholesale and manufacturing, film studios and cinema advertising (Shepperton / Pearl and Dean), defence electronics and charities (RSPCA) widened his knowledge. During this career, where he occasionally used drawing in paperwork designs, he kept his interest in art through exhibition visits, mural painting, designing board games and making posters and other art work for Scouting and other voluntary organisations.
To develop his artistic skills, Don joined a number of weekend courses run by Hamish Rosie, a personal friend. He studied life drawing for two years with David Hensel. For specific mediums Don has attended two courses run by Tony Hogan. He has spent two weeks with Chris Bell of Art Toscana, two weeks with Maca Lucic in Croatia and a week with Turkish Painting holidays gaining a wider knowledge of art techniques.
Currently, Don is a leading member of Ashdown Arts based in Forest Row (with whom he has exhibited since 2010). He was also a leading member in Bridge Arts in Uckfield from 2012 until 2022 when it closed. Don has also participated in independent exhibitions. South East Open Studios, and exhibited locally in solo exhibitions..
Don’s painting Wildwood achieved a “Highly Commended” in the Finals of the SAA Artist of the Year Competition in 2016, and, in 2019 The Sun Never Sets was similarly rewarded. In June 2017 his painting Dragon’s Breath was in the final selection for the Pébéo Mixed Media Art Prize and Exhibition 2017, organised by the manufacturer, and was on display at the Strand Gallery, London.
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