Max Birne obituary | Art and design | The Guardian — theguardian.com

My friend and neighbour Max Birne, who has died aged 93, was a printer in Fleet Street, an antiques dealer and also a prolific painter. He was born in Islington, London, to Joseph Birne, a printer, and Sophie (nee Shreiber). The family moved to Stamford Hill, where Max and his younger brother, Stanley, went to school. At the outbreak of the second world war the brothers were evacuated to the Fens. These were blissfully happy days. They witnessed squadrons of bombers flying over to Germany, and the excitement and thrill never left Max. He had a lifelong fascination with aviation, and big skies feature in many of his paintings. Boats at Itchenor (2017), painted by Max Birne When he left school, Max was conscripted into the army, serving in the Film Unit, based in Naples, Italy. After the war, he became a stone setter in Hatton Garden, then followed in his father’s footsteps to Fleet Street and a secure job on the printing presses. Through his fiancee, Rosie Kessleman, he began to recognise an interest in art and enrolled at evening classes at John Cass College. In 1957 he and Rosie married and moved to Wembley, where Max joined the Wembley Art Society. Its president, the artist Ken Howard, became an important influence to Max. He and Rosie also developed a love for antiques, running a stall in Portobello Road, then trading in Alfies Antique Market on Lisson Grove. Max Birne’s Raceday at Goodwood (2018) Rosie was the driving force behind the business, encouraging Max to develop his art. He carved out his own individual style, creating a world of colour. Max started with oils, but found they took too long to dry, and mostly worked in acrylics on stretched canvas. Latterly he made many works on paper, staining the surface with wet tea bags and using brush pens and water soluble pencils. After Rosie’s death in 2005, Max moved to Selsey, West Sussex, where he had good friends. There, the seashore supplied Max with endless inspiration, along with trips to Venice and the Cote d’Azur. The domes and canals of Venice elided with the old lifeboat pier in Selsey as subject matter. The light in his conservatory studio, which overlooked his beloved garden, reminded him of the Mediterranean. This wild patch of palm trees and tumbleweed was a haven, and setting for many paintings and lively conversations with his many Selsey friends. In his last years macular degeneration plagued his eyesight, but he never stopped thinking about his next picture. His house was full of joyful colour, objects and art books. An exhibition celebrating his art is planned for 2021 at the Regis School of Music, Bognor Regis. Max is survived by his son, Mitch.

Read More