BARRETT, Roderic

1920 - 2000

Roderic Westwood Barrett was born at Colchester, Essex on 8 January 1920, son of Frederick Cecil Barrett (25 January 1879-1974), an ironmonger, and his wife Edith Janet née Harper (1879-1929), who married at Colchester in 1903. Roderic, who was the younger brother of noted sculptor Oliver O'Connor Barrett, was educated at St Christopher School, Letchworth where his draughtsmanship was recognised, and at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London 1936-1940, where he specialised in wood engraving under teacher and engraver John Farleigh, as well as being taught by Bernard Meninsky (1891-1950) and William Roberts (1895-1980), only switching to oil painting in later life. He married at Colchester in 1943, Lorna Martha Blackmore, and they had two sons and a daughter. Like his father before him in the First World War, a conscientious objector during the Second World War, after which Barrett returned to Colchester and in 1947 began teaching part-time at the Central School of Art 1947-1968. After twenty-one years he moved on as a tutor at the Royal Academy Schools where he remained until his retirement in 1996. Barrett was long associated with the Colchester Art Society, succeeding Cedric Morris as its president and exhibited at the Ipswich Art Club from Rooks End, Church Lane, Stanway, Colchester in 1977, two works 'Candle Hat' and 'Broken Puppet' he also exhibited extensively including the Royal Academy and with solo shows in Cambridge, London, Exeter, New York, Oxford and elsewhere. His work is held by the Victoria & Albert Museum. Roderic Westwood Barrett died at Colchester on 17 November 2000 being survived by his wife and their three children Jonathan, Kristin and Mark.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Rooks End, Church Lane, Stanway, Colchester, Essex
1970 574 Round Table with three Chairs
         599 Woman with Round Table
1971 239 Bowl
         745 Pans
1972 458 Silences
         1110 Visitor
1973 886 Scissor Woman
         887 Parade of Talents
         909 Man and Wheelbarrow
1974 962 Conversation
         1188 Leftover Belongings
1975 72 Time Keeper
1976 1293 Dark Table with Light
1977 1321 Dance
1978 950 Chair with Candle
1980 1051 Woman with Bowls
1981 585 Candles for a Friend
         986 Death of Socrates
         989 Travelling Show
1982 1438 Household
         1462 Man and Wheelbarrow
1983 777 Candle Hat
         778 Watching and reaching
1984 368 Boots and Hat – pencil
         896 Players
         1415 Separate Places
1985 166 Curtain Call
         1094 Dr Norah Johns – pencil
         1251 Bath, Bucket and Lid
1986 108 Enter two Characters.
         858 Mrs Selina Williams - pencil
1987 1028 Stage Hand
1988 110 Chair with Hat
         145 People and Things
1989 447 Conversation
         906 Hauntings
1990 1128 Skull and Hat
1991 914 Celebration
         1194 Painter at Work
1992 1095 Round Table with Oil Stove
         1720 Woman with Round Table
1993 1715 Burial Party - oil
1994 983 Four at Table – oil
         1034 Tables, Chairs and Tea Cosy – oil
1995 271 Celebrating Man – oil
         672 Death, Maid and Joker – oil
1996 1083 Passage – oil
1997 3 Journeying Young Man – oil
         724 Song and Dance – oil

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Works by This Artist