Abstract painter and teacher, born in Birmingham, where he studied at the College of Arts and Crafts under Bernard Fleetwood-Walker, 1949–54. Taught in secondary schools, then taught at Coventry College of Art, 1961–9; was head of the fine art department at Stourbridge College of Art, 1969–74; senior fellow in fine art, painting, at Cardiff College of Art, 1974–7; Gregynog Fellow, University of Wales, 1977–8; then head of fine art at Birmingham Polytechnic, 1979–83. Was artist-in-residence, Fishguard Arts Festival, 1984, then at the National Museum & Art Gallery, Cardiff, 1987–8, having a studio base in the city until 1992, when he moved to Helston, Cornwall. Cook took part in numerous mixed shows, including Marjorie Parr Gallery, 1963; John Moores Liverpool Exhibition, from 1967; the Arts Council’s British Painting ’74, 1974; The Presence of Painting, the South Bank Centre’s 1988–9 tour; and Cross Currents, Reed’s Wharf Gallery at the Barbican Centre, 1996.