In Conversation with Local Artists: Anthony Yates RBA
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Our latest series on the Selly Manor Museum blog involves interviewing artists from Bournville, Birmingham and the surrounding areas, finding out about their creative processes and inspirations, their views on Bournville and its community, and their upcoming projects and exhibitions. Local artists are key to keeping our community a vibrant and dynamic place to live.
For our next post we have interviewed local artist and member of the Royal Society of British Artists, Anthony Yates. Anthony's works range from being largely observational and figurative in style, to more stylised and abstract. His collection, comprising mostly oil paintings, is exhibited widely across the UK and abroad.
Artist Anthony Yates
Q1: Could you tell us a little about yourself and your work as an artist?
"I was born in Aston, Birmingham, 1957. After a standard comprehensive education, I left school aged 16. I wanted to be an artist. Circumstances were such that I had little guidance and parents who were unable to support me in further art education. So, with a folder of drawings and paintings under my arm I walked round the commercial art studios of Edgbaston until I found myself a job as a Junior Artist. It wasn’t quite what I wanted, but it did have a connection as to where I wanted to go. I learned the trade and made many advertisements for various companies. But I still longed to be a fine artist. I practiced whenever I could and showed my first oil painting on the walls of the old RBSA Gallery in New Street in 1979. To further my knowledge I enrolled in evening classes at Bournville College of Art, on Linden Road and attended classes after work. At the end of the ’90’s I left commercial art behind and became a full-time fine artist. I was a member of the RBSA from 1998 to 2021 and am currently a member of the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA)."
Q2: How does Bournville (and/or the surrounding areas) inspire your work?
"My early work centred on domestic life and the local streets and parks. I would wander around with a sketchbook scribbling down the scenes before me. Back in the studio I would make paintings from my drawings. Some years ago I made sketches at Bournville Summer Festival of the Maypole Dancers and the brass band under their canopy. Two paintings that proved very popular, as they both sold. I show them here. My work has moved on and changed a great deal from those early days, but I still remember with affection the time I spent outdoors enjoying the local scenery and activity."
Q3: Bournville is surrounded by both green spaces and city scape – how do each of these influence your work?
"Being Birmingham born and bred I’ve always felt the ‘closeness’ of things; in other words wide open spaces haven’t been part of my world. Streets and gardens are where the majority of time is spent for the urban dweller, and as such these are the places that influenced my early work. Since 1984 I’ve lived just up the road in Harborne. I show here a couple of scenes from the more working class area of Harborne, which, as the older families died or moved out, now house a lot of students."
'Back Gardens, Harborne' by Anthony Yates
'Permanently Closed Branch of the Post Office' by Anthony Yates
Q4: Is there a particular piece of local history or heritage that you find yourself drawn to? Why do you think this is?
"It is the older parts of Birmingham that particularly draw my attention. It is the craftsmanship that was used to build seemingly ordinary buildings as well as more grand edifices; attention to the façade was given thought. The layout of Bournville is another part of city planning that is most attractive, giving such a pleasant aspect for those living there. So leaving the car behind and exploring areas on foot one can come across some interesting places. At one stage I lived within easy walking distance of Birmingham University and the Barber Institute. Walking around the university grounds at night was quite strange, even eerie, with its lack of traffic, occasional patrol cars and hardly a person to be seen. I made a painting of part of the red-brick university and show it here (November Night; University of Birmingham). Also, of course, the Barber Institute is wonderful to visit for its art collection and the music concerts. I made sketches at several concerts here and show one of the paintings I made from these sketches; (Concert at the Barber Institute)."
'November Night; University of Birmingham' by Anthony Yates
'Concert at the Barber Institute' by Anthony Yates
Q5: Why do you think art is important to the local community?
"Here is a moot point. I think it is was great loss when Bournville Art College was closed. How important it was for me to attend evening classes along with many others interested in the arts. And closures have happened across the city. There was once a thriving adult education centre at Harborne Clock Tower, but this is now just another place lost. Even in the most simplest of terms people need to connect with something other than materialistic concerns, and this is seemingly being stripped away from generations of people. I find this very sad indeed. Perhaps art isn’t for everyone, but it’s the chance to engage with some form of it, whether this be woodworking, printmaking, textile work, painting classes, poetry, acting etc, would, I’m sure bring us to more understanding of what we are capable of. So, yes, the importance of art in all its forms should be available to all those interested."
A life drawing completed by Anthony in 1980 while at Bournville College of Art
Q6: How do you feel your art connects with the people of Bournville/Birmingham? Or how do the people of Bournville/Birmingham connect with your work?
"Years ago I had a lot of connection with the people of Birmingham. I became a member of a couple of local art societies and was elected a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) in 1998. As my name got around I was asked to do demonstrations, talks and workshops at various societies in Birmingham and even further afield, around the Midland area in general. This brought me into contact with a lot of people with enthusiasm for the arts. This was a busy time and kept me on my toes as I also had to provide paintings for various art galleries I was involved with. My painting style developed into something different and, about 10 years ago I stopped doing the rounds of the art societies to concentrate on my own work. This lead me into an interest in printmaking, although paintings remains my prime concern. I still see local artists socially and have a connection with the Purple Gallery on Mary Vale Road."
Q7: Do you have a favourite artwork that you’ve created that you could talk us through?
"I can show you a work that happened as my painting style changed direction. In 2017 I visited Winterbourne Gardens, with sketchbook in hand. One of the large greenhouses called the ‘Arid House’ has a collection of cacti and succulents. It is so laid out that you can walk round a path that gives a full circuit of the greenhouse. I stood sketching as occasional visitors wandered in and out. Now, back in the studio I started to paint the scene I had drawn, and the painting took on a life that was, if not surreal, certainly strange. I let it develop. Finished and framed, a year later in 2018 I sent it for an exhibition to my London society, the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA). To my surprise it was greatly admired and even projected onto a large digital screen in the Mall Galleries."
'Arid House' by Anthony Yates
Q8: What is next for you – do you have any upcoming projects or exhibitions that you’re excited about?
"My work is continuous. Two years ago I agreed to produce work for a one-man exhibition for a gallery in the Cotswolds. I put forward a proposal that I base the whole exhibition taking inspiration from the work of Dylan Thomas; Under Milk Wood. The exhibition was due to be staged in the spring of this year. Unfortunately, before I could reach the deadline, the gallery, under financial pressure, had to close its doors. I was left with some 30 odd works that couldn’t go on the walls. The gallery in question has now turned into an online affair only and offered to put my exhibition online just this last May/June. It was well received but with no sales forthcoming I was still left with a body of work that needs to be shown on the walls. I am delighted to say that this exhibition, titled, 'Tales from the Sailors Arms' will now be shown, on the walls, at;
Trent Art Gallery, 19 Brunswick Street, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 1HF. The Show will run from Saturday 17th October to Saturday 14th November 2026, with a 'Meet the Artist' day on the opening Saturday 17th October. All gallery contact details are on their website; www.trent-art.co.uk
I show one of the works in the exhibition below; ‘Backyard Business’."
'Backyard Business' by Anthony Yates
We would like to thank Anthony for taking the time to talk to us about his varied and successful career, as well as the places and people around Birmingham that have been key sources of inspiration. If you would like to see more of Anthony's work, head to his Instagram account: @anthonyyatesrba
Written by Niamh Reid, Museum Assistant