Made in St Ives: An Artists' Colony

Tim Craven, FoSMAG's chair, presents this illustrated talk on British abstract art. Please note, this is a change from the previously advertised talk for September 2026.

Why is there a Tate outpost in St Ives? This talk will attempt to answer that question. It will consider the origins of the St Ives artists’ colony in the 19th century and illuminate the singular story of its apparent regeneration through the progressive art that developed there during and after World War 2.

The art of St Ives from the middle of the 20th century has been hailed as the most important post-war British abstract art movement (if it is a movement), though it had its critics. The talk will define the major exponents and illustrate how their practices evolved in context with other approaches of the time, and why the unique, western Cornish environment was so important to them.

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