Norman Ackroyd CBE, Honorary Doctor of the University
Norman Ackroyd CBE is a renowned English landscape artist who has captivated audiences worldwide with his work in watercolour, steel, and bronze.
Born on 26th March 1938 in Leeds, Norman attended Leeds College of Art and later studied at London's Royal College of Art. South London has been Norman’s home for the past 40 years, with his studio located on the ground floor of a four-storey former warehouse in the heart of the old SE1 Bermondsey leather district.
Norman specialises in aquatint, a printmaking technique that produces tonal effects rather than lines, is well-known for his landscape artworks devoid of human figures but brimming with life and for his radio and television appearances.
Norman's immense talent and dedication have been recognised within the art world and academia. In 1988, he was elected to the Royal Academy of Art and six years later was appointed Professor of Etching at the University of the Arts, where he has been sharing his knowledge and inspiring the next generation of artists. In 2000, he was named Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art, and Norman was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007 for services to engraving and printing.
Norman’s work has found a home in some of the world's most prestigious institutions, including the Tate, the British Museum, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. You will also find his work on the streets of cities including Moscow, Birmingham, and Glasgow, with murals ranging from his first created in 1986 at the West Indian Cultural Centre in Haringey in London, to his last called Galapagos, which he completed in 2010 at the Sainsbury Laboratory in the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden.