Also that year, he lectured at the Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting in London. This was a lecture arranged through his friendship with both Harry Thubron and Maurie de Sausmarez. Bridget Riley, whom he later visited with Peter Sedgeley, also attended this lecture.
Sydney continued to lecture up until 1984 at a huge number of establishments throughout the country including Goldsmiths College, St Martin's School of Art, Bath Academy of Art, the Design Council, the British Colour Council and the Royal College of Art.
In 1984, ill health severely limited his lecturing programme but he continued to paint and experiment with his theories right up until his death in 1991.
Throughout his career Sydney's work rarely went on exhibition –he had an academic rather than a commercial interest in his work, so this opportunity to view almost his entire life work is an exciting one for both the SDC Colour Experience and for those who have long been admirers of his theories as it presents a first opportunity to see their development through his work.
The work itself is obviously highly colourful but in turn detailed and painstakingly executed.
Many resemble the pop art dramatic canvases of the 1960s whilst many simply draw the eye to the wonder of colour and how individual colours work and react with each other – often his paintings employ no more than three or four colours and yet on first glance the whole spectrum of the colour palette seems to have been used.
Sydney's work is not only an exercise in colour theory but also dramatic and hugely stylish as works of art – the pieces are timeless in their appeal as both contemporary pieces of art and as one of the most complete demonstrations of the creative and calculated use of colour.
Society of Dyers and Colourists
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