Highly acclaimed British painter Donald Hamilton Fraser (1929 - 2009) is renowned for his landscape and figurative works, which have defined his long and successful career. Born in London, Fraser initially trained as a journalist before pursuing his passion for painting, studying at St Martins School of Art from 1949 to 1952. In 1953, he was given his first solo exhibition at Gimpel Fils in London, and that same year, he received a scholarship to study in Paris. There, he gained further confidence as an artist, which led to his appointment as a tutor at the Royal College of Art in 1958, where he remained for 25 years.
Fraser’s achievements include being made a Fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1970, an Honorary Fellow in 1983, and a Royal Academician in 1985. He was also a trustee of the Royal Academy and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission. His work has been exhibited in major galleries across the world, including Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Jerusalem, and is held in prestigious public collections, including the National Gallery in New South Wales and HM The Queen. Fraser also taught alongside major British artists such as Sir Peter Blake and mentored influential figures like David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj.
In his later years, Fraser lived by the river at Henley on Thames with his wife, reflecting on a career that spanned over fifty years and left an indelible mark on the British art scene.
Highly acclaimed British painter Donald Hamilton Fraser (1929 - 2009) is renowned for his landscape and figurative works, which have defined his long and successful career. Born in London, Fraser initially trained as a journalist before pursuing his passion for painting, studying at St Martins School of Art from 1949 to 1952. In 1953, he was given his first solo exhibition at Gimpel Fils in London, and that same year, he received a scholarship to study in Paris. There, he gained further confidence as an artist, which led to his appointment as a tutor at the Royal College of Art in 1958, where he remained for 25 years.
Fraser’s achievements include being made a Fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1970, an Honorary Fellow in 1983, and a Royal Academician in 1985. He was also a trustee of the Royal Academy and a Member of the Royal Fine Art Commission. His work has been exhibited in major galleries across the world, including Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Jerusalem, and is held in prestigious public collections, including the National Gallery in New South Wales and HM The Queen. Fraser also taught alongside major British artists such as Sir Peter Blake and mentored influential figures like David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj.
In his later years, Fraser lived by the river at Henley on Thames with his wife, reflecting on a career that spanned over fifty years and left an indelible mark on the British art scene.