R.I.P. Stanley Jones MBE 1933-2023

Published: 22 February 2023 at 16:32

Great British artist and Master Printer dies aged 89

Cambridge School of Art was saddened to learn this week of the death of Stanley Jones MBE. Stanley was founder of The Curwen Print Study Centre, an educational charity and open access printmaking facility with which our staff and students have had a close relationship for many years, including a recent partnership through our new Art Scholars Curwen Printmaking Bursary.

In 2022, this fully-funded bursary allowed two of our students to work in the Curwen Print Study Centre to extend their existing printmaking skills, learn new techniques and further their printmaking practice. Sarah Strachan (MA Fine Art) and Ayeshah Zolghadr (MA Printmaking) worked on a collaborative project using the centre’s archives, and presented the resulting exhibition Boundary Objects at CPSC last November.

MA Fine Art and Printmaking Course Leader Veronique Chance said: "My condolences and thoughts go out to Stanley's family and friends at this sad time. Stanley lived to see the Curwen Print Study Centre recent move from Linton to new, expanded premises in Great Thurlow and it was great to see him being honoured at the opening event in March last year."

"I am honoured to have been granted permission by Lorraine Chitson, Director of the Curwen Print Study Centre to share their official Press Release below, approved by his family."

Official Curwen Print Sudy Centre Press Release:

"It is with immense sadness we share with you the death of Stanley Jones MBE at the age of 89. Stanley died peacefully on 11 February surrounded by his family. Our heartfelt thoughts are with his children Matthew and Liza and the extended family.

Stanley was our Founder and Life President of The Curwen Print Study Centre. Curwen was his life’s work from the successful establishment of The Curwen Studio in the 1950’s to the establishment of The Curwen Print Study Centre as an educational charity in the 1990’s.

In the 1950s, after studying lithography in Paris, he returned to Britain to set up the renowned Curwen Print Studio which spearheaded a rapid expansion in British Printmaking. Today he is revered in artistic circles as one of the greatest master printers of all time. His clients read like a rollcall of the 20th century's great British artists, including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Elisabeth Frink, Paula Rego, Ceri Richards, David Hockney and Man Ray.

His vision and dream were to protect handcrafted fine art printmaking for future generations by creating a centre that allowed artists of all abilities the opportunity to learn and develop printmaking skills supported and inspired by the work of the many artists with whom he had worked.

Stanley was hugely proud that in March 2022 Curwen Print Study Centre moved to new premises in Great Thurlow. The new Studios enabled artists a complete print journey from beginner to accomplished artist working under their own direction alongside a print archive of prints, proofs, and documents available to see free of charge in the Gallery. It was the realisation of a lifelong dream and passion which started in the Plaistow, East London Curwen studio in 1958 and which he had thought he would not see achieved.

Throughout his life Stanley has touched all those who knew and worked with him with his calm and gentle nature. He has inspired artists of all abilities, shared his skills and so much more, to enable them to achieve the best they possibly could. His guidance was non-judgemental and his kindness for both the work and the person were synonymous so that all who worked with him both respected and loved him.

Lorraine Chitson, Centre Director."

Photo credit © CPSC