It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of Fred Cuming RA at the age of 92 years. Fred was a Royal Academician for almost 50 years during which time he earned a reputation as a master of colour, light and atmosphere. He was still painting during the week he passed away, peacefully on Sunday at his home near Rye with his beloved family.

Fred studied at the Royal College of Art. He was elected ARA in 1969 and RA in 1974. His extraordinary devotion to painting over the course of a career spanning 75 years, has positioned him as one of the significant landscape painters of our age. Our thoughts are with his daughter Rachel and her family, his many friends and collectors who will greatly feel his loss.

Fred loved the gallery in Wimbledon Village and it has been a great privilege, over the last 10 years, to have exhibited his beautiful paintings and enjoyed his company at our Private Views.

 

Fred Cuming has devoted his life to expressing the fleeting impressions of his surroundings, often painting the South Coast of England around Hastings and Rye where he lives and Italy where he regularly visits.  Born in 1930 in London, he trained at the Sidcup School of Art between 1945 and 1949. After National Service he studied at the Royal College of Art for four years and was awarded the Abbey Travel Scholarship to visit Rome. In 1960 he was elected a member of the New English Art Club and in 1969 he was elected an Associate Member of the Royal Academy, becoming a full member in 1974. At that time, he was the youngest member ever to be elected.

Fred has exhibited widely since his first one-man show at Thackeray Gallery, London, and has work in private and public collections internationally. In 2001 he was given the honour of being the 'Featured Artist' in the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, with an entire gallery of his own. In 2004, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts at the University of Kent in Canterbury.

Fred Cuming is represented at Wimbledon Fine Art by Judy Stafford at Stafford Gallery. For further information visit www.staffordgallery.co.uk or call 020 8944 6593 or 07939 048 436.