Frank Patterson: The Cycling Artist

Frank Patterson, the cycling artist, was of legendary stuff; he served under six of the seven editors of ‘Cycling’ magazine, from the 1880s right up until his death in 1952. Frank Patterson never took himself seriously. He was the countryman type rather than the commercial artist, and his gun provided him with his favourite sport.

Frank Patterson’s art (a word that he heartily disliked!) was in his use of line – or in it’s absence – leaving white space to express a patch of water, a sunlit hillside or a reflecting road. His mastery of penmanship was best seen in the parallel freehand lines he used to indicate a road surface in shade where they passed behind the tyre, rim, spokes and hub of a cycles wheels, or perhaps those of a farm cart. The continuous weight and the texture implied remain right across the sketch, although the pen in producing this shadow would have to be lifted a hundred times.

As well as his prowess with the gun Frank Patterson was a lifelong cyclist, and the evocative images that he portrayed are still as charming today as ever was. Whilst out cycling Frank would make a rough sketch of what he saw, often on any odd scraps of paper that he had to hand, and on one memorable occasion in his wartime ration book! The sketches then came to life, with further detail added, as he worked diligently away at his farmhouse home, perhaps the place that he liked best of all, Pear Tree Farm near Billingshurst in Sussex.

We are so pleased that we can now help in preserving both the memory of Frank Patterson and of his art, by having the collections of his work that were first put together by Jim and Janet Willis republished again, as well as using a selection of Frank’s images on other items. During the coming year we also hope to establish a selection of Frank’s work as quality prints, on heavy rag paper, so that you may frame and hang them yourselves if you wish.

Whatever – fear not, the memory of Frank Patterson will live on, if we have anything to do with it!