EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

Madgwick… realising great expectations

THIS week, a heartening story of a man who fulfilled his early potential, going on to become one of the most commercially successful painters of his generation who lived a full and wholesome life in relatively good health and good fortune.

Clive Sheridon Alexander Madgwick was born in Marylebone, London in October of 1934. His father was a doctor, his mother too was also a medical practitioner.

Clive was the middle of their three sons. His early life was very happy, spent growing up in the family suburban home in Epsom, Surrey with his two brothers.

He attended Downs End School before going on to Epsom College. His early aim was to go into dentistry, but always had a love of, and natural ability in, art, so he studied dental medicine at Guys Hospital in London.

On completion of his studies he joined the RAF as a dentist. Leaving the RAF in 1965 to join a dental practice in Sudbury in Suffolk.

It was while working here that he contracted a rather bad bout of glandular fever. During this illness he sketched and painted to keep his spirits up.

His skill developed and his love of art became all-pervading and although now fully recovered he continued to paint countryside landscapes as an amateur artist, inside he knew he wanted more, so by the time he was 38 the desire to paint was completely overpowering and ultimately lead to him following his dream to paint for a living.

He became a full-time artist in 1972.

Already living in the beautiful countryside of Suffolk his natural tendency was to paint the beautiful rural scenes that he became renowned for.

He was commissioned by many corporate entities such as Abbey National, Boots, etc.to paint scenes for them.

He also quickly developed a following around the world, partly due to The Medici Society and others producing printed examples of his works on calendars, postcards, greetings cards, jigsaw puzzles and commemorative plates.

Around the peak of his career Clive was one of the world’s best-selling artists. Even the Queen purchased one of his paintings, an original oil painting of Buckingham Palace, which now hangs as part of her private collection in Windsor Castle.

Madgwick passed away in 2005 having achieved a career beyond even his own expectations, not only did he have commercial success, but he was also recognised by his peers