Born in St. Catherine, Jamaica, George Rodney studied at Jamaica School of Art & The Art Students League of NY.

“I had always loved to draw”, he says, “and then I saw the movie ‘lust for life’ about Van Gogh and read the book and this gave me the desire to go to art school, where I went in 1957 and I’d decided to do commercial art but a tutor at the school, Kenneth Robertson urged me to take up painting seriously and that was it”.  He stayed at the art school until 1961 and then left to study at the Art Students’ League in New York.  Returning to Jamaica that year, he started work as the then Jamaica Broadcasting Company’s (JBC) graphic artist on Christmas Eve 1963. He now works as a part-time tutor at the art school.

Rodney is one of the pioneers of the modern Jamaican art movement.  Although he rarely stages exhibitions, this master’s work is very highly sought after. Rodney’s semi-abstract treatment of space, his brilliant draughtsmanship and strong composition elements harmonize to depict the light, mood and colour of Jamaica.

Accolades:

• 1970 Jamaica Festival’s Bronze Medal

• 1973 1st Prize in Annual National Exhibition of Painting

• 1975 Jamaica's Silver Musgrave Medal

• 1981 Jamaica’s Centenary Medal

• 1982 Jamaica Festival’s Gold Medal

• 1983 The Jamaican Prime Minister’s Medal of Appreciation

 

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