Colin William MOSS, A.R.C.A. (1914 - 2005)
Painter, draughtsman, printmaker and teacher, Colin Moss was born in Ipswich in 1914. He studied at the Plymouth Art School from 1930 to 1934. He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Art, studying under Gilbert Spencer, Charles Mahoney and Percy Horton from 1934 to 1938. In the same year, he completed mural paintings for the British pavilion at the New York World Fair.
During the war, he was a camouflage designer to the Ministry of Home Security, a position he was to hold until active war service took him to the Middle East, where he stayed until 1946. After he was demobbed, he was appointed Senior Lecturer at the Ipswich School of Art and held that position until his retirement in 1979.
In 1961, he studied under Kokoschka in Salzburg and, like his teacher, he was an expressionist, using strong rich colours and tones, and forceful brushstrokes. In 1976, Moss was a founder member of 'Six in Suffolk Group' and chairman of Ipswich Art Club from 1980 to 1982. He took part in many mixed shows, including 'Britain in Watercolour' at the RWS in 1953, solo exhibitions at Kensington Gallery in 1951, the Zwemmer Gallery in 1955 and many shows in East Anglia.
His works are in the collections of the British Museum, The Tate Gallery Archive, The Imperial War Museum, The Government Art Collection, Ipswich Borough Council Museums & Galleries, Leamington Spa Museum & Art Gallery, Nottingham Art Gallery, and the Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society
Source: Buckman: Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945
All the images of Colin Moss's work on this site are the copyright of The Colin Moss Estate. Images for publication can be obtained directly from The Bridgeman Art Library
For more information, send us an email or phone 01394 283470
Current Exhibitions
The Assembly House, Norwich
Monday 13th October to Saturday 25th October 2008
Life Observed – Exhibition of Work
Exhibition Open daily from 9.30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 12 noon onwards on Sunday. You are invited to meet the biographer of 'the book Colin Moss: Life Observed' by Chloe Bennett. Informal guided tours of the exhibition by the author on Friday 17th October 6.30pm to 8.30pm and Saturday 18th October 11.45am to 2.30pm.
Harleston Gallery, Harleston
4 December 2008 to
3 January 2009
The Artist in our Midst
A mixed exhibition featuring artists from the publication "The Artist in our Midst"
Private View – Thursday 4 December 6.30pm-8.30pm