William McCance facts for kids
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William McCance (born 1894, died 1970) was a talented artist from Scotland. He was also important in the world of books. He worked as the second leader of the famous Gregynog Press in Powys, Wales.
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William McCance: Artist and Innovator
William McCance was born on August 6, 1894, in Cambuslang, Scotland. He was one of eight children in his family. He went to Hamilton Academy for his schooling. After that, he studied art at the Glasgow School of Art from 1911 to 1915. He also trained to be a teacher.
Early Life and Art
During World War I, William McCance was a conscientious objector. This means he believed it was wrong to fight in the war. Because of his beliefs, he was put in prison.
After he was released from prison in 1919, McCance moved to London. He moved with his wife, Agnes Miller Parker. She was also an artist who created illustrations and engravings. In London, McCance worked as a teacher. He also became an art critic. This meant he wrote about art for newspapers and magazines like The Spectator and Picture Post.
A New Artistic Style
In the 1920s, William McCance's paintings were very special. Many Scottish artists did not use new art styles. But McCance was different. He was one of the few Scottish artists who explored new ideas. He used styles like cubism and abstract art. Cubism uses geometric shapes to show objects. Abstract art uses shapes, colors, and lines without showing real objects. His art was also inspired by machines. These new art movements became popular in Europe after the First World War.
McCance was friends with the writer Hugh MacDiarmid. He was also part of the Scottish Renaissance movement. This movement aimed to bring new life to Scottish art and culture.
Working with Books
In the 1930s, McCance took on a new role. He became the second leader, or "Controller," of the famous Gregynog Press in Wales. This press was started in 1922. It was known for making beautiful, high-quality books.
Later, in 1943, he became a lecturer at the University of Reading. He taught about typography and book design. Typography is the art of arranging text. Book design is about how books are put together and look.
When he retired, there was a big exhibition of his artwork. It was held at the Reading Museum and Art Gallery. William McCance passed away on November 19, 1970, when he was 76 years old.
Today, you can find many of his paintings in important art collections. These include the National Galleries of Scotland and the Dundee Art Gallery. In 1975, there was another special exhibition of his work. It was shown in Dundee, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
