Sir Terry Frost, R.A. 1915-2003

Belgrave Gallery, St Ives, whence purchased by the present owner

Frost and his family moved to Banbury in early 1963 having become somewhat disillusioned with life in St Ives. Initially he taught part-time at Coventry School of Art, then at Reading University where he was to rise to the position of Professor. This new, urban environment provided Frost with a very different set of motifs including lorries and road signs, which he began to photograph and incorporate into his work. Later, Frost recalled of the road signs which so irritated him, 'You used to see them a lot in Banbury, because lots of people go through it on their way somewhere else' (the artist, in conversation with Isabel Carlisle, April 2000). However, in contrast to the modernity of the ubiquitous road signs, Frost was at the same time struck by the historical resonance of the area. In a later interview with David Lewis, Frost explained: 'The whole area is so historic, it's hard to think of the Battle of Edge Hill in the Civil War being fought amongst these beautiful and gentle steep hills.' He went on to recall,'When I first went to Banbury, another magical discovery was going to Compton Wynyates, the Marquis of Northampton's place... I went across to the little chapel which stood out there on its own, there were the flags which had been carried into the Edge Hill battle, and one of them had black chevrons with blue circles all round, blue and black again... standing alone in that chapel with that chevron and the blue olives all round it, was a moment I've treasured. I don't know if I've thought of all the possibilities of a chevron but I've certainly used it a lot.'