Sculptor, etcher and teacher, born in Liverpool. He studied at Liverpool College of Art, 1944–8, under Karel Vogel, then at Slade School of Fine Art, 1950–4, with Reg Butler and Henry Moore. Taught at Exeter and Leeds Colleges of Art, then was head of sculpture at Coventry Polytechnic, 1968–83. Atkinson concentrated on sculpture commissions. His work was “an attempt to crystallise a range of feelings, emotions, undercurrents, facts, conflicts and gestures of the psyche. It asserts that reality simply fails to live up to the demands of art.” Major public sculptures were completed in Birmingham, Coventry, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. Atkinson was a member of RE and a fellow of RBS and RE. Group shows included RA, RWA and LG. He was one of six artists representing Britain at World Expo ’88 in Brisbane.