Glyn Uzzell

Glyn Uzzell was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1930.  A creative spirit from an early age, Uzzell was disinterested in the industry professions that awaited young Swindonians of his time.  After training at Goldsmiths College and the London Institute of Education, his vibrant career as a painter and printmaker took him across Europe and beyond.

He worked with progressive printmakers of Atelier 17 in Paris, found commercial success as a painter in Portugal, and rubbed shoulders with the bohemian elite of the Chelsea Art Club in London.  He exhibited in cities across Europe including (but not limited to) Geneva, Zurich, Paris, Milan, Krakow, Lisbon, Barcelona and Dusseldorf.  Beyond Europe, Uzzell showed in Chicago, New York, Tokyo, Toronto and Port Elizabeth.

Alongside his creative practice, Uzzell developed a rich career as an educator and advocate for emerging talent.  In Geneva, he helped devise the first Art and Design programme for the International Baccalaureate, set up a state funded printing workshop, and established an art gallery.

Uzzell always maintained his Swindon roots, returning regularly to visit friends and family, and (particularly later on in life) establishing relationships with organisations based inside and outside of Wiltshire.  In the early 2000s, he donated all his print equipment to the print studio at Rabley Drawing Centre in Marlborough.

Glyn Uzzell and his partner Paul Fonk died in 2014, due to a tragic gas explosion at their home in the Algarve.  In 2019, a retrospective exhibition of Uzzell’s work was held at Swindon Museum and Art Gallery.