Born in London, Paul Coldwell studied fine art at the West of England College of Art from 1972-75 and then studied printmaking at postgraduate level at the Slade School of Art, where his teachers included Barto, Dos Santos and Stanley Jones.
In 1997, he was appointed Subject Leader MA Printmaking at Camberwell College of Arts, following which he took over as project leader for a research project into the integration of computers within fine art practice, developing his interest in the use of digital technology within printmaking.
In 2001, Paul was appointed Professor in Fine Art at The London Institute (now The University of the Arts London). His curatorial practice includes Digital Responses for the V&A 2002-03, and Morandi’s Legacy; Influences on British Art for the Estorick Collection London and Abbot Hall Cumbria 2006, which explored his long term interest in this Italian artist.
In addition to his teaching and studio practice, Paul worked with Paula Rego on all her etchings between 1985-2005 including Nursery Rhymes and Peter Pan. His book, Printmaking: A Contemporary Perspective, provides a broad overview of the history of printmaking with a focus on contemporary approaches to both new and old print technologies.
Paul’s practice embraces printmaking, bookworks and sculpture. He has exhibited widely with solo exhibitions in locations as diverse as London, New Delhi and Dublin, and has been selected to represent the UK at the Ljubljana Print Biennial and the International Print Triennial. His bookworks include Freud’s Coat, With the Melting of the Snows, and Kafka’s Doll. His work is held in numerous collections including the Tate, the Imperial War Museum, the V&A, the British Museum, the Arts Council of England and New York Public Library.
