Abstract painter and teacher, born at Browney, County Durham. He studied at Department of Fine Art, King’s College, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1951–6, under Lawrence Gowing, Victor Pasmore and Richard Hamilton. Not long after he received a John Moores junior prize and was awarded a Boise Travelling Scholarship to Italy. He had his first one-man show at New Vision Centre in 1958. Went on to exhibit in key shows in Britain and abroad and by 1970 had qualified for a retrospective at Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne. His international reputation was consolidated in the 1970s, and in 1977 he had a retrospective at Hayward Gallery and travelling. Taught at Chelsea School of Art, 1959–66, was then director of foundation studies in fine art at University of Newcastle until 1970 when he became principal lecturer in painting at Chelsea.