Worthing Museum and Art Gallery.

This long-overdue retrospective exhibition at Worthing Museum and Art Gallery provides a rare insight into the stunning work of Anthony Cooke (1933 – 2006).

A Royal Academy trained artist whose work is represented in Worthing’s own art collection, Anthony’s love of the sea, fishing boats and the local landscape is reflected in more than 80 oil paintings, watercolours and pieces of personal ephemera kindly lent by his extensive family and friends. This exhibition explores his successful career, charting his numerous artistic accolades, including publications, residencies and the many public and private collectors who have acquired his works.

Cooke was an artist who had strong connections with Worthing and Shoreham by Sea, not only through his art training but also as he lived with his family on a house boat in the 1950s and 60s.  He was highly regarded as a lecturer on the Foundation Course at the West Sussex College of Art and Design. Cooke was certainly as character-full as a person as he was an artist. His distinctive style of painting in muted colours and fine brushwork sets this extraordinary exhibition apart from most.

Laura Kidner, Curator for Art and Exhibitions, says:  “Thanks to the generosity of Anthony’s family and friends, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery is very fortunate to be the chosen venue to host the first review of this artist’s work for many years.

It is unlikely such a gathering will be seen again for many years – DON’T MISS IT!”

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