Tribute to David Hosking
David Hosking passed away at the age of 76 on Saturday January 4 2020.
He was one of the most prominent Cornish artists of modern times and painted with a distinctive style, using bright colours and strong compositions to portray coastal scenes.
Born in Camborne, David studied at Falmouth School of Art in the 1970s and later found his home in Porthleven.
David will also be known to many through those that he taught at St Michael's School in Helston.
He is survived by wife Patricia and sons Stephen, Stuart and Michael.
Patricia said: "He got the greatest pleasure from seeing people enjoy his work: He loved to know who bought each painting and where it was going to hang.
"He never sought the recognition that he richly deserved, being a very modest man. He was also a very generous person, donating original paintings to many charities.
"David was a fabulous raconteur with a wonderful character and a cheeky sense of humour, rarely without a twinkle in his eye.
"He was warm, genuine, sincere, witty and charming. He was highly thought of by all those whom he met, and of course by those he taught at St Michael's school in Helston."
BBC Countryfile profiles David
Cornish Heartlands
BBC 1 - Countryfile TV Episode - 18:15 Sunday 22nd October 2017 - Watch on iPlayer now
Artist's return
Cornwall’s timeless landscapes have inspired poets, writers and artists alike for generations. Cornish artist David Hosking is a landscape painter, born in the rugged heart of the moors and now living and working in the beautiful harbour town of Porthleven. His inspiration comes from the expansive moorlands and the striking mine buildings that scatter the Cornish landscape, as well as his childhood home on Garlidna farm. David hasn’t been back since he left as a boy and 45 years on his return is quite an experience.
BBC 1: Countryfile - David Hosking - Cornish Homecoming from MrPricetv on Vimeo.
Portfolio View a selection of David's work
David HoskingHundreds of paintings have been bought for private collections throughout the world
1943 - 2020Cornish artist David Hosking was born into a farming family in West Cornwall. He studied at Falmouth School of Arts. During the Sixties David's work was largely abstract, featuring many experiments in Painting and Printmaking. His painting subsequently passed through a number of figurative stages up to the present decade which has seen the development of his semi-abstracted style.
Many enthusiasts who are now followers of Hosking's painting are excited and inspired by his use of rich colour in the fragmented atmospheric scenes which are explored in his paintingsHundreds of Hosking paintings have been bought for private collections throughout the world.
He was first inspired to become a painter by his Art teacher at Helston Grammar School (Mr. Philip Howells). After 'A' level Art at Helston, David entered Falmouth School of Arts in 1961. However, a lack of funds forced a break in his Art education and he spent two years working in a variety of occupations to raise money to continue his Art work. Then, in 1964, he began a three year course in teacher training at the West Midlands College, with Painting and Printmaking as his main area of study.
This proved to be a very exciting time with the Art tutors buying David's work and the Compendium Gallery in Birmingham showing his work and submitting it in 1967 to an exhibition in London arranged by the Ministry of Works.
From 1967 to 1995, David worked as a teacher first in Plymouth and then, from 1970, at St. Michael's School in Helston. In 1995 he left teaching to devote all of his time to his painting.
During his years as a teacher, he continued to develop his painting and exhibited in mixed shows. In 1993 David presented a solo exhibition at Helston Folk Museum which led to a solo exhibition at Falmouth Arts Centre in 1994, and this has since become an annual event. During Easter 1999 there was an exhibition of Hosking paintings at St Ives. Current paintings may be found in galleries at St Ives, Padstow, St Mawes, St Agnes and Porthleven at of course at the artist's studio.
Contact Get in touch
Artsake Artist
David Hosking (Patricia)
1 St.Pirans Parc
Porthleven
Cornwall, TR13 9BD
Phone: +44 (0)1326 562 010
Mob: +44 (0)7510 001 454
“Your colors are medicine for the soul. Your very unique style flows like a jazz / Blues song. Thank you for showing your gift to the world.” Maristela Tayoko da Silva Lenior, Brasil
“I love David's work. I have followed his exhibitions in Falmouth for the past few years and last summer purchased one of his works as a present.” Patricia Liverod