Norman Ackroyd
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Norman Ackroyd (born 1938 in Leeds, Yorkshire) is an English artist know primarily for his monochrome etchings.
Ackroyd attended Leeds College of Art from 1957-61 and the Royal College of Art, London from 1961-64. 1990 saw his election to the Royal Academy of Art.
Ackroyd's works from the 1960's show an influence from Pop Art, particularly artist Jasper Johns. His complex compositions from that period often integrate prefabricated materials - newspaper clippings, crossword puzzles, etc.
Slowly Ackroyd abandons the language of Pop Art; for a time his compositions simplify and grow more abstract, sometimes nearly geometric, but predominantly they eventually suggest or depict naturalistic elements, e.g. clouds, rainbows. (Even depicting rainbows, Ackroyd uses colour only very sparingly).
In the 1980's Ackroyd emerges as a full-blown landscape artist with a deep affinity for the various topographies specific to the British isles. While Ackroyd's mature work embraces conventional subject matter, his technique remains highly experimental and variable. Depending on the locale, atmospheric conditions and intended mood, his works range from minimalist, nearly abstract impressions, to richly detailed images of specific places and seasons.
