The Blue House by Sylvia Forward

Sylvia and Colin Forward moved to Malmesbury in 1950, and their family has contributed to the richness and vibrancy of the local arts scene for over 70 years. As well as work by Sylvia (who died in 1996) and Colin (who died in 2001), this exhibition features contributions from two of their six children Viève and Tristan.

Colin met Sylvia at Cardiff School of Art in 1947, where they were both students.

After moving to Wiltshire and briefly teaching Art and Games at Malmesbury Grammar School, Colin worked for E.K. Cole (EKCO), Vickers Aircraft and Plessey as a technical illustrator. He set up a second-hand book business, and later worked as a sign maker in Swindon. A love of cartoons and architecture informs his artistic output. As well as bringing up the family, Sylvia was a prolific artist with a unique style and life-long commitment to art which extended beyond the gallery walls to her infamous‘knitted jumpers’, mail art and exuberant re-imaging of Malmesbury people and places.

The building of the Abbey by Colin Forward

Viève and Tristan absorbed their parent’s creativity and dedication to art, drawing on their life experiences as source material for their artwork. They continue to work in the arts today, writing, teaching and honouring their parent’s legacy. We thank them for the loan of work for this exhibition, and their support of the In Living Memory project.

Self-portrait 2007 by Vieve Forward