Painter in oil and teacher, born in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. After studying geology, working for a surveying firm, serving in Royal Air Force signals and working for John Taylor & Sons, mining engineers throughout the period 1948–57, Cuthbert in 1957–61 studied at Goldsmiths’ College School of Art, 1957–61, under Sam Rabin and Kenneth and Mary Martin. After teaching part-time at Wimbledon School of Art, 1961–3, between 1963–79 Cuthbert was head of foundation and vice-principal at Wimbledon, from 1979 until retirement in 1991 being vice-principal. Cuthbert was a member of the Colour Group of Great Britain, long interested in colour research and its application. In this connection he was in 1969 involved in colour related to the Calder motorway bridge; in 1979 designed the ballet Counterpoint, to music by Benjamin Britten, at Adeline Genée Theatre, East Grinstead; in 1981, devised an interior for Holy Trinity Church, Forest Row, Sussex; and in 1990 was consultant for the BBC television series The Colour Eye.