Leightonb3

Sonia Lawson R.A. (artist)

Sonia Lawson R.A., R.W.S, R.W.A, (b.June 1934) is an English contemporary artist originally from North Yorkshire.

Sonia Lawson R.A.(artist) photographed in 2010 at her home in Bedfordshire.

Early Life

Sonia was born into a family of artists. Her father Fred Lawson was 22 years older than her mother Muriel Metcalfe, both lived and worked in the small village of Castle Bolton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire[[1]].

Muriel suffered from Grave's Disease and was unble to care for the infant Sonia therefore she was brought up by her mother's sister: Marjorie Walker (nee Metcalfe), in the nearby town of Leyburn.

Sonia's love of the Yorkshire dales informs much of her work and the artistic community her parents cultured also fed her imagination and her talent. Visitors to her parent's Dales cottage included Jacob Kramer: painter, William Roberts: painter, Charles Murray: painter, Wilfred Rowland Childe: poet, Francis Watson: novelist & critic, J.B. Priestly: author, James Kirkup: poet and Dorothy Una Ratcliffe: author & poet.

Career

Sonia studied at Doncaster school of art in the 1950's and in 1956 gained a place at the Royal College of Art. London [[2]] She won a travelling scholarship to France and on her return was one of four young artists selected for John Schlesinger's[[3]] BBC TV documentary "Private View" part of the Monitor series[[4]].

In 1982 Sonia was elected a Royal Academician : Royal Academy of Arts London.[[5]] An institute she also taught in for over 15 year as a visiting tutor.

Commissions

1984: Commissioned to paint a picture for Lambeth Palace. London as part of the ecumenical accord: presented to The Pope and now in the Vatican collection. Painting of St Augustin Landing in England.