Sir Peter Blake

Peter Blake was born in Dartford, Kent into a lower-middle class family. Following the outbreak of World War II, Blake youth was evacuated from his hometown. This coupled with the wartime rationing of resources and economic downturn had a large effect on Blake's later work. From 1951 to 1953 he served in the Royal Air Force.

Following his time in the national service, Blake studied at the Gravesend School of Art, and then the Royal College of Art from 1953 to 1956. His contemporaries there included Bridget Riley and Frank Auerbach. He graduated in 1956 and returned to teach from 1964 to 1976, where he met then-student Ian Dury, who remained a friend throughout his life. During the late 1950s, Blake became one of the best known British pop artists. His paintings from this time included imagery from advertisements, music hall entertainment, and wrestlers, often including collaged elements. He first came to public attention when he featured in Ken Russell's film on pop art, Pop Goes the Easel, which was broadcast on BBC television.

Blake also painted several notable album sleeves. As well as the sleeve for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Blake also made sleeves for the Band Aid single, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984), Paul Weller's Stanley Road (1995) and the Ian Dury tribute album Brand New Boots and Panties (2001). He also designed the sleeve for The Who's Face Dances (1981), which features portraits of the band by a number of artists.

In the early 1970s, he made a set of watercolours to illustrate Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, and in 1975 was a founder of the Brotherhood of Ruralists.

Blake was made a Royal Academician in 1981, a CBE in 1983, and in 2002 was knighted. In February 2005, the Sir Peter Blake Music Art Gallery, located in the School of Music, University of Leeds, was opened by the artist. The permanent exhibition features 14 examples of Blake's album sleeve art, including the only public showing of a signed print of his famed Sgt. Pepper's artwork.

Select Timeline

* 1956 - graduated from the Royal College of Art

* 1964-1976 - Taught at the Royal College of Art.

* 1981 - made a Royal Academician

* 1983 - A major retrospective of Blake's work was held in the Tate

* 2002 - Blake was awarded a knighthood for his services to art

* 2005 - The Sir Peter Blake Music Art Gallery, located in the School of Music, University of Leeds, was opened by the artist.

Select Exhibitions

* 2006 - Peter Blake 1975-2005, Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm

* 2006 - Art & the 60s from Tate Britain, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland

* 2005 - Peter Blake - Sylvie Fleury - Malcolm Morley - George Segal - Sturtevant, Mamco - musee d'art moderne et contemporain, Geneva

* 2005 - Peter Blake - 1-10, Waddington Galleries, London (England)

* 2005 - the Print Show, Kettles Yard, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire (England)

* 2004 - Art & the 60s: This was Tomorrow, Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery, Birmingham (England)

* 2004 - Art and the 60s - This was Tomorrow, Tate Britain, London (England)

* 2003 - Pop Art Prints, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester (England)

* 2003 - Marilyn. The life of a legend, County Hall Fine Art, London (England)

* 2003 - Peter Blake, Artiscope, Brussels

* 2002 - British Pop Art, Alan Cristea Gallery, London (England)

Select Artwork

* Band Aid single - "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Album Cover Art

* The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. - Album Cover Art

* The Who - Face Dances - 1981 - Album Cover Art

* Paul Weller - Stanley Road - 1995 - Album Cover Art

* Oasis - Stop The Clocks - 2006 - Album Cover Art

* A Walk In The Tuilerie Gardens - silkscreen

* Fifth Avenue - silkscreen

* La Ronde - silkscreen

* Belga - silkscreen

* The Very Best - silkscreen

* Red, White and Blue - silkscreen

* Ian Dury "All New Boots and Panties" - silkscreen

* Pentangle - silkscreen