Michael Canney was born in Falmouth, initially studying at Redruth and Penzance Schools of Art. This was followed by the St. Ives School of Painting, studying under Leonard Fuller, then Goldsmiths' College School of Art (1947-51). He exhibited regularly, both in Britain and abroad, and many public collections now hold examples of his work. Canney was associated with the Newlyn and St. Ives schools both as student and teacher and, in 1956, he was appointed Curator of the Newlyn Orion Gallery. He also taught at Plymouth College of Art and was appointed as a lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His friends included Scott, Nicholson, Vaughan, Hilton and Lanyon, though he was unusual amongst his contemporaries in so far as he was an indigenous Cornishman. Since his death, Michael Canney has become the subject of increasing critical attention and acclaim.
Public Collections:
Plymouth City Art Gallery, Plymouth
West Riding Education Committee, London
Cornwall Education Committee, Cornwall
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic, Plymouth
Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, Rugby
Devizes Museum, Wiltshire
Mondriaanhuis, Amersfoort, Netherlands
Solo Exhibitions:
1980, Bristol University, Bristol
1982, Prescote Gallery, Banbury
1983, Newlyn Art Gallery, Newlyn
1984, Prescote Art and Design, Edinburgh
1990 and 1995, The Belgrave Gallery, London
1998, Devizes Museum, Wiltshire
2000, Martin du Louvre, Paris
2005, Katharine House Gallery, Marlborough
2007, Fine Art Society, London
Group Exhibitions:
1942, Piazza Studios, St Ives; Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester
1943, Camborne, Cornwall
1949, A.I.A. Gallery, London
1952, Blackheath Art Society, London
1956, London Group, London; Island Art Gallery, Newquay
1956-64, Newlyn Art Gallery, 1956-64, Newlyn
1958, Waddington Gallery, London; Sheviock Gallery, Cornwall; Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Gallery, Falmouth; Plymouth Arts Centre, Plymouth; Royal Albert Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter; Sixth Devon Festival, Barnstaple and Exeter; Newlyn Society of Artists, Newlyn
1960, Plymouth City Art Gallery; Camborne, Cornwall
1960-63, Sail Loft Gallery, St Ives
1961, Piccadilly Gallery, London; Newlyn Society of Artists, Newlyn
1962, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol; Newlyn Society of Artists, Newlyn
1962-64, Fore Street Gallery, St Ives
1963, Cultural Centre, Ostend
1964-65, Porthleven Gallery, Cornwall,
1965, University Gallery, Santa Barbara, California
1970, Bath Festival, Bath
1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, Royal West of England Academy
1978, Gloucester City Art Gallery, Gloucester; Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
1979, Park Street Gallery, Bristol
1980, Wills Lane Gallery, St Ives; Penwith Gallery, St Ives; First Day Covers Exhibition, Newlyn Art Gallery, Newlyn; Beaux Arts Gallery, Bath
1981, Green College, Oxford; Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford; Lawrence House Museum, Launceston
1982, Bristol Polytechnic, Bristol
1982-83, London Group, Camden Arts Centre, London
1983, Gardner Centre, Sussex University
1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, Michael Parkin Gallery, London
1987, Chicago International Art Fair (Michael Parkin Gallery), Chicago
1986-87, Comune, Casole d'Elsa, Italy
1987, Day Book Exhibition, Smith's Galleries, London
1988, Rye Art Gallery; Richard Demarco Gallery, Edinburgh
1989, The Usher Gallery, Lincoln; The Vardy Centre, Newcastle; The Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
1990-2004, The Belgrave Gallery, London
2000, Mondriaanhuis, Amersfoort, Netherlands
2001, Julian Lax, London
2003, Market House Gallery, Penzance
2006, Katharine House Gallery, Marlborough
