In the New Year, Williamson Gallery are proud to exhibit one of Ralph Steadman’s immense pieces, alongside recent limited edition giclee prints from his latest publication Critical Critters. Come along from the 4th January till the 27th January to witness his talent first-hand.
Born in 1936, Ralph Steadman’s life began in Wallasey, Cheshire, before relocating to North Wales, where he spent his childhood years. As a world renowned Artist, Steadman’s life had a humble beginning, with his profound talent evident from a young age. In his early twenties Steadman travelled south, attending East Ham Technical College and London College of Printing during the 1960s. During this time, Steadman also began producing freelance work for a multitude of established magazines, including Private Eye, Punch, the Daily Telegraph and Rolling Stone.
However, his world success came from his long-term partnership with American Journalist Hunter S. Thompson, with Steadman illustrating his celebrated novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Following the success of the novel and its later film adaptation, Steadman’s work was put on the map, his talent recognised on a global scale. He then went on to collaborate with writers including Ted Hughes, Adrian Mitchell and Brian Patten, illustrating popular editions of Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and Animal Farm.
Among the British public, Steadman is most well known for his iconic branding for wine retailers Oddbins, and his designs for a set of four British postage stamps, commemorating the appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1985. His success has led him to win a multitude of awards, including Illustrator of the Year from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, and the Francis Williams Book Illustration award.
In recent years Steadman continues to create and contribute his talent, running prose and poetry in Kotori magazine, and providing illustrations for the Birdlife International Preventing Extinctions programme. Last year he also penned the artwork for music artists Travis Scott and Quavo, on their joint project Huncho Jack.
After regrettably selling one of his original illustrations to Rolling Stone for the minor sum of $75, Steadman has since largely refused to sell any of his original artwork, and has instead kept possession of the vast bulk of his original work for his archive. Despite this, in celebration of their special 90th year anniversary, Williamson Gallery (for a limited time only) will be proudly exhibiting one of Steadman’s immense paintings in the New Year.