THE ART OF PETER CAMPBELL

An exhibition of works by prolific multi-disciplinary artist, Peter Campbell (1931 - 1989)

"​Peter Campbell had a personal, intuitive vision for what it meant to be an artist. Unrelentingly prolific, he engaged a large number of media and specialisms in an attempt to define that vision, all the time remaining true to his own rich, symbolic language and single-minded approach to making art.

Born in London in 1931, Peter studied at the London School of Printing and at Goldsmith’s College, and was employed for a number of years as an ‘advertising visualiser’ before turning his attention toward painting. Anti-ideology, anti-‘school’, even anti-‘artistic’, he worked obsessively toward an expression of his own mythological world. Unafraid of isolation, it was this singular dedication that allowed him to become one of East Anglia’s most accomplished romantic landscape painters.

In 1971, along with his wife and son, Peter made Suffolk his home. It was here that landscape became indelibly inscribed upon his work. From walks with his dogs, and trips exploring East Anglia, Cornwall and Ireland, Peter brought back to his studio a view of the natural environment as filled with adoration as it was with an excitement for nature’s capacity to reveal greater truths. This attitude resulted in countless works of vivid, dreamlike quality and startling expression.

Peter was the sort of artist who, enamored with the birds he saw out at sea circling the merchant vessel of his early formative years, searched for them and their significance for the rest of his days. Through art, through craft, and through a life view that sought to eradicate any difference between the two, these pursuits enlivened and emboldened Peter throughout his days.
  
“My intention is not to reproduce the apparent physical appearance of the natural world, but rather to choose and reshape the essence, as I see it, of the thing seen.”

Peter worked in oil, watercolour, drawing, enamels, wood & linocuts, and calligraphy. Travelling back to his hometown, he shared his language and approach as visiting lecturer in enamelling at the London University Institute of Education. He also illustrated a number of private press books for Skelton Press. Technically versatile, we are left here with an exceptionally broad and brilliant collection of Peter’s works." - Biography of Peter Campbell, The Abbey Foundation.


About The Abbey Foundation
"The Abbey Foundation was set up by Peter's Wife, Kate Campbell, in order to record and archive Peter’s exceptional body of work. The collection is not a complete catalogue. Many pieces have been sold and gifted over the years without documentation. We are however left with rich and varied tapestry of works in a variety of mediums. The product of an entire life dedicated to art.​ Our task is to carry out Kate’s wishes to celebrate the art of Peter Campbell and share the historical importance of The Abbey and its occupants during the last 50 years."

Alongside these aims, The Abbey Foundation supported the renovation and redesign of the newly named "Campbell Gallery" at The Bank Arts Centre, which opened in September 2025. This exhibition showcases a selection of Peter's work whilst celebrating the official opening of the Gallery, and launch of the Foundations' retrospective book of Peter's catalogue establishing Peter as one of Suffolk’s most prolific and important artists.

Exhibition Open from 21st January - 28th February 2026
General Opening Wednesdays to Saturdays. 10.30am - 3.30pm

Private View - Friday 23rd January. From 7pm 
Complimentary welcome drinks & bar open

​To find out more about Peter Campbell - www.petercampbell.org