L. S. Lowry: How a Quiet Englishman Painted the Soul of the Working Class

Video Description

You think life is tough now? I wonder what you'll think after watching my video on Laurence Stephen Lowry. English artist L.S Lowry was born on 1st November 1887 in Manchester, in northern England. Lowry was an outsider and a loner who suffered from Asperger Syndrome, a jovial, self-effacing individual, who was often depressed and very lonely. He never married, found relationships almost impossible and the London art establishment never took him very seriously. From childhood Lowry loved drawing and doodling, but as far as his mother was concerned there was simply no question of him being allowed to be an artist. In 1905 he was an evening student at Manchester School of Art and was inspired by the French tutor of drawing, Adolphe Valette. The 1930’s were a struggle, he had no emotional support at home and despite numerous exhibitions in Canada, Paris, Manchester, he sold very few paintings. L S Lowry was 52 when his mother died. He stayed in the same house, alone and lonely for the next 9 years. It was his sanctuary, full of cobwebs and splattered paint. By 1948, he was earning good money as a painter, so he moved house to the affluent village of Mottram-in-Longdendale, near Manchester. In 1976 he was given a one-man exhibition at the Royal Academy in London. This was a major achievement, few living artists are given this accolade. But he died on 23 February 1976 six months before the show opened. It was a major success and was one of the most popular Royal Academy shows of the 20th century. He was famous for his ‘matchstick men’ paintings. A large collection of L S Lowry paintings can be see at The Lowry, in Salford, Manchester. This video seeks to answer these questions about L S Lowry: What was Lowry's relationship with his mother, and how did it affect him? Why did Lowry turn down honours like a knighthood from the Queen? What is the meaning behind his signature "matchstick men" figures? How did L S Lowry create his distinctive textures and effects? What was Lowry's creative process? How did his day job as a rent collector influence his work, and how did he balance his work with his painting? Who was Carol Ann Lowry, and why did the Lowry leave her his entire estate, despite her not being a relative? Would you like me to critique your drawing? Sign up here:- https:patreon.com/paulpriestleyart Want this video in your own language? Check out my video to see how: https://youtu.be/ZnoxutAvyaI For drawing and painting art tutorials designed for beginners - visit my website: - https://paulpriestleyart.com Follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PaulPriestleyArtVideos/ Follow our Twitter page: https://twitter.com/PriestleyonArt PATREON: I'd like to thank the following patrons whose support in the making of this video is much appreciated: Aou I, Danny Wilshaw, Dee Ann Havely, Deirdre Feely, Denise Berg, Denise Trietsch, Hollie Hitchcock, Ivan Gilbert Rappaport, Mary Stewart, Nicolae Opris, S. Ryckman, Tatiana Lostorto, Tess N, Tina Valentine, Visnja Zeljeznjak, Wiggans, Linda Frazier, Marnie Coutts, Stein Harald Os, Sandra Mcfarland, Emily Liss, William Scott Griffiths MUSIC: Gymnopedie No 1 by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100787 Artist: http://incompetech.com/