David Binns 1935 - 2020
David Binns was a long-time member of the Society of Wildlife Artists (1968 – 2011) and in addition to the paintings, book illustrations and designs for jigsaws and greetings cards for which he was well known, Mr Binns also enjoyed a career in teaching.
He was born at Sutton-in-Craven in 1935, son of landscape artist Dan Binns. His artistic education began at art school in Skipton, before he went on to Leeds College of Art where he gained a National Design Diploma in illustration. Mr Binns then completed two years’ national service in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He began his teaching career at the former Aireville School, Skipton, before returning to his ‘old school’ Ermysted’s Grammar as head of the art department.
From 1979, he spent 13 years as a freelance artist in Northumberland, living in a cottage overlooking the famous Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve. There, the wintering wildfowl and waders of the Fenham Flats and summer nesting birds of the Farne Islands became important subjects for his work.
Mr Binns and his family then moved back to Yorkshire, where the wildlife of the Pennine hills and valleys was captured in his sketchbooks and paintings. For 25 years, Mr Binns worked as a freelance artist and – with his wife, Molly – ran the Brent Gallery, firstly in Northumberland and then back in Yorkshire.
He was a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists from 1968 until 2011 and a four-times winner of the RSPB Fine Art Award. In 1999, he had a Doctor of Letters honour bestowed on him by the University of Bradford in recognition of his dedication to art and wildlife.