Arts
Council Collection Artists
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Portrait of James Young (1972)
Charles Oakley (b.1925, Manchester)
Oil on Canvas
H: 205, W: 70 cms
Charles
Oakley attended the Slade School in London from 1943-45 and went
to the British School in Florence in 1950. In 1962 Oakley came
to Belfast as Senior Lecturer in painting at the Ulster College
of Art and Design and worked closely with Colin Harrison, with
whom he held several joint exhibitions. He was commissioned in
1972 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to paint the portrait
of Belfast comedian James Young. In 1974 he was appointed Principal
Lecturer in Fine Art at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic. Oakley’s
work was influenced by the work of Magritte and by the Dutch masters
as well as by Stubbs. His work has been exhibited widely including
a show entitled ‘Lost Illusions: works with romantic and
historical associations’ held in 1986 by the Arts Council
Gallery, Belfast, Ferens Art Gallery, Kingston upon Hull and Pyms
Gallery, London
