This is a charming acrylic painting of an Eider Duck by James Williamson-Bell, signed and painted in 1991. This painting was exhibited at The Mall Galleries for an exhibition of the Society of Wildlife Artists.

James Williamson Bell is mentioned in the book, “Artists of Northumbria” on page 370

The picture and frame measures 17½ x 16½ inches.

The painting measures approximately 11 x 10 inches.

James Williamson-Bell was born in 1938, he is well known as a wildlife and landscape painter in acrylic and watercolour; a printmaker; illustrator; sculptor and art teacher. Although winning a scholarship to study art he spent his initial working life as a draughtsman at Swan Hunter, but eventually the need to become a full time artist took over and in 1974 he left the shipyards.

Working initially with wildlife, James has built a strong reputation amongst his peers at the Society of Wildlife Artists, leading to commissions, awards and exhibitions all over the world.  In recent years he has visited China, South Africa, and has also carried out commissions for the Sultan of Oman.

He has had his work reproduced as prints by the Medici Society and handles commissions for his wildlife studies on a worldwide basis.

James Williamson-Bell

Society Membership:

Society of Wildlife Artists

Other Society Memberships:

Societe des Artistes Francais, Bilan de L’Art Contemporain, Society of Chinese Brush Painters

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Biographical details:

1938 Born in Willington Quay

1974 Became full-time artist

1988 Painted mural in Field Centre, North Tyneside Council

1989 Spent three months in Beijing as a guest of the Chinese government

1989 Calendar designs for British Gas and National Garden Festival

1989-91 Greeting card design for World Wide Fund for Nature

1998 Travelled to Apricale, Italy

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Artist's statement:

My interests are Wildlife Art Landscape painting and printmaking. After a lifelong interest in Oriental painting and printmaking I had the opportunity to visit China on two occasions (1989 for three months and 1997 for one month). In 1989 I was resident in Taiyuan at Shanxi University, and in 1997 at the Teachers University in Xian, Shanxi. My current work is very much influenced by this experience.

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Exhibitions:

1998 Winter show, Gallagher and Turner, Newcastle upon Tyne

1997 Royal Scottish Watercolour Society, Vicarage Cottage Gallery, North Shields

1997 Wildlife Art, Sothebys

1997 Shanxi History Museum, Xian, China

1997 ‘Grainger Town’, Laing Art Gallery

1996/97 Society of Wildlife Art of the Nations, Gloucester (residency and show)

1996 Laing landscape Competition Newcastle and Lonodn

1996 life in the North (Visual Arts Year 1996), Newcastle Arts Centre

1995 Browns Gallery, Jesmond

1996 Old Brewery Studios, Peterborough

1995 Lamont Gallery, Bethnal Green, London

1994 Wildlife Exhibition, Christies

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Scholarships, Awards, Prizes:

1998 Dover Painting Competition (highly commended)

1998 Rexel/Artist magazine National Drawing Competition (highly commended)

1997 Certificate of Honour, Shanxi Teachers University

1991 Fine Art Award, WWF

1991 silver Award, East African Wildlife Society, Nairobi

1989 Travel/Study Bursary, North Arts

1989 Purchase Prize, Fyldes British Prints

1989 Purchase Prize, Graffiti/Printmakers Council

1983 Gold Medal, Academie Europeane des Beaux Arts

1982 Silver Medal, Academie Europeane des Beaux Arts

1977 Silver Medal, Sculpture Artistes Francais

1976 Gold Medal, Societe des Artistes Francais

1975 Silver Medal, Societe des Artistes Francais

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