Private Collection of Fred Yates Arrives at the Auction Rooms 

Coming up for auction on the 18th of January is a private collection of 5 paintings by Westcountry artist Fred Yates. Known for his Plein-air paintings of the English landscape, he was heavily influenced by the Naïve art style and can be easily recognised by his use of bold colours, loose brushwork and child-like abstractions.

Yates moved to Cornwall in 1968 and made a living pursuing his passion for painting, whilst supplementing his income with gardening work for neighbours.

Most of his early work was painted outdoors on rough boards using household paints, but his approachable style and manner earned him some notable early collectors, and in 1976 he had his first solo show at the Reynolds Gallery in Plymouth. In the same year, he was a finalist in the John Moore’s Prize. During the 1970s and ’80s, Yates began to gain wider acceptance and in 1992 had his first London exhibition with Thompson’s Gallery.

The paintings on offer date mainly circa 2012, with some representing the artist himself. Lot 65 ‘A Couple’ is an oil impasto on canvas and is expected to sell for over £2,000.

All paintings are signed and framed and include titles such as ‘Love again, Think Fat, Four Friends and Count Your Blessings’. You can clearly see Yate’s sense of humour in these particular pieces! They are expected to drum up substantial local interest and have an estimate of over £6000 combined.

Browse the lots (65-69) on our full auction catalogue. You can register to bid online or attend the auction in person on Wednesday 18th January at 6 pm.