Tributes paid to 'absolutely brilliant' and world-renowned Leeds artist Glen Baxter after death aged 82
Tributes have been paid to an “absolutely brilliant” absurdist illustrator from Leeds following his death aged 82.
Glen Baxter was born in Leeds and his surrealist sketches became known the world over through their use in greeting cards and the likes of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker.
His line-drawings often combined cowboys, gangsters, explorers and schoolchildren with intellectual jokes and references.
They were mastered at and largely created as a way of satirising those he met during his time at the Leeds College of Art between 1960 and 1965.
The school, now named Leeds Art University, said that it was “saddened to learn” that Baxter had died aged 82 on March 29.
The statement read: “He was widely recognised for his humorous and witty narrative art forms, with varied themes including pulp fiction, western imagery, food, and adventure stories.
“In 2019, Leeds Arts University hosted an exhibition of his work ‘Unhinged in Hunslet’, Baxter’s first exhibition held in his hometown since leaving art college.”
Glen Baxter performed in an amateur theatre group after leaving Leeds and moving to London and also wrote poetry, which led to him moving to New York and establishing himself in Greenwich Village.
His profile steadily grew over the years and he exhibited all over the world; while also accumulating admirers such as Salmon Rushdie.
Among those paying tribute was actor and comedian Phil Jupitus, who wrote: “So sad to hear that we've lost Glen Baxter. An absolutely brilliant and singularly British artist.
“He blew me away in 1981 with his book The Impending Gleam. His unique line and surreal repurposing of the tropes of mid 20th century popular illustration were both hilarious and beautifully observed. His affectionate mockery of the world of jolly hockey sticks girls boarding schools, the Wild West, golden age Hollywood, and stiff upper lip Brits was unmatched.
“Thinking of Zoe and all of his family and friends today. Thank you Mr. Baxter...”
An Instagram page commissioned by Mr Baxter and dedicated to his work also paid tribute to the “artist, father, chevalier, Yorkshireman and mischief maker”.
It wrote: “We are very sad to say farewell to Glen. He went forward with the clocks at the Spring Equinox on World Piano Day.
“This page will continue to share his art with you, as was his wish. Thank you for all the messages and tributes. The Baxter Family.”