K G Chapman (1908 – 1993)

George Chapman was born in East Ham, London. He studied at Gravesend School of Art, on leaving he trained as a commercial artist under Ashley Havinden, Creative Director of W.S.Crawford, one of the most progressive advertising agencies. Chapman was commissioned by Jack Beddington to produce posters for Shell and through this connection came into contact John Piper, Graham Sutherland and Barnett Freedman. Whilst practicing as commercial artist he studied at the Slade and, persuaded by his friend Barnett Freedman, later moved to the Royal College of Art. He took to signing his commercial work K G Chapman to distinguish it from his ‘fine art’ work. In 1953 he made his first visit to the Rhondda valley in South Wales later moving to Aberaeron which remained his home for the rest of his life. His work was regularly exhibited, and he was the subject of a BBC TV programme 'Monitor', which was screened in 1961, and later in the year at the Venice International Film Biennale.