| BiographicalHistory | Hamish (Henry) Basil Macpherson was born Henry Basil Kendall on 20 February 1915 in West Hartlepool, Durham. However his family moved to New Zealand when he was a young child, where his mother, Margaret Macpherson, was a radio speaker and contributor to Auckland's 'Radio Record'. He started work as a bank clerk and farm hand but went on to study at the Elam School of Arts and Crafts, Auckland, New Zealand, from 1928-1934. He won a scholarship to study in London at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London under John Skeaping in the School of Painted and Sculpted Architectural Decoration and Stained Glass, where he remained until 1939.
Macpherson assisted Skeaping in respect of several commissions during his early years in London, including carving panels for the 'Queen Mary' in 1935 and mural decorations for the British Pavilion at the Paris Exhibition in 1937.
Macpherson's first exhibition was in 1935 where he was joined by three other students of Skeaping, John Cole, Vivian Cole and Michael Foley, together known as 'The Four Sculptors'. Their exhibition was mounted at Picture Hire Galleries, 56 Brook Street, London. They later went on to mount a further group exhibition at the gallery in November 1937.
His versatility ranged throughout mediums and subjects, choosing to work with marble, ebony, ivory, rosewood, bronze, concrete and oak, amongst others. His subjects ranged from people to animals and the simplistic to more detailed.
One of his earliest sculptures, 'Poverty', was inspired by a visit to deprived areas of Wales. He told 'The London Evening Standard' in 1935 that he used his own struggle as a young student in London as empathy for the piece, saying the piece was without a mouth because 'poverty has no voice'.
During the Second World War Macpherson was commissioned in the Royal Engineers, from 1940-1946. An article in the 'London Times' September 1947, stated that Macpherson '...was then put in charge of the first camouflage factory in England'. He went on to serve in France and was evacuated from Dunkirk, having been badly wounded. However he went on to serve in India, leaving the army with rank as Captain.
After leaving the army, he returned to Central School of Arts and Crafts to teach modelling to aspiring silversmiths (1948-1953), whilst also undertaking an appointment until 1954 at Sir John Cass School of Art teaching sculpture and modelling.
He moved, with his wife and sons, to Old Hill Wood, Studham, Bedfordshire in 1960. He worked for Vauxhall Motors, producing various car designs, before being made senior project engineer at their headquarters in Luton. It was during his time at Vauxhall that he told company newspaper, 'The Vauxhall Mirror', (17 October 1968), his views regarding sculpture and his work: 'Sculptors are born, not made. With basic ability and a little bit of luck you can be successful, but above all you must be sincere...Dedication is the key. To provide anything worthwhile it requires maximum effort whether it be cars or a piece of sculpture.' He continued to exhibit his sculptures while working for Vauxhall.
Over the course of his life Macpherson had lived in Durham, Auckland, London, Bedfordshire and retiring to Mitchell Troy Common, Gwent, Wales. He died at the Brynwood Nursing Home, Brynmawr, Gwent, Wales on 10 July 2005 at 90 years of age. |