At the end of last term, we bid a warm farewell to Keith Price, who has retired from his role as Head of Foundation at City & Guilds of London Art School. Colleagues gathered at the Old Red Lion pub in Kennington to celebrate Keith and his decades of contribution to the Art School and Foundation Department.
We wish Keith the very best for his retirement, and look forward to welcoming him back to the Art School for our end of year shows and events for many years to come.
Emma Simpson, Foundation Technician, shared the following tribute to Keith on behalf of the Art School Team:
“After more than four decades of remarkable dedication and service, we are both delighted and saddened to announce the retirement of Keith Price, who has been a cornerstone of City and Guilds of London Art School since starting as a life-drawing evening class tutor in 1978, while still a student at the Royal Academy.
Keith brought his passion and skill to teaching, quickly becoming an invaluable part of the team. From 1979 to 1997, he served as a sessional tutor, nurturing and inspiring students across Diploma, Foundation and all courses, with a particular focus on drawing. He became a trusted mentor to many and is renowned for his ability to nurture both skill and confidence in his students.
In 1998, Keith was appointed Head of Foundation, a role in which he truly left his mark. As student numbers began to rise, Keith showed remarkable ingenuity, finding space for learning in every nook and cranny of the Art School. It is a testament to his dedication and ingenuity that he created an environment where students thrived.
When the opportunity arose to move the Foundation Department to the adjacent site in Kennings Way, Keith jumped at the chance to expand the department, and oversaw the establishment and design of the new Foundation studios in 2012. This monumental project not only expanded the department’s physical space but also set a new standard of excellence, earning external approval for the Foundation course and giving staff and students a space that fully supported their creative potential.
It was during this exciting time that Keith hired me as Foundation Technician. I vividly remember his excitement about the new space—he described it as “a dream.” Within this wonderful new space, I worked closely with Keith to create an environment that reflected a shared belief in a program where academic study is supported by strong, skills-based knowledge, with making and creating at its heart. His dedication to the staff and students is immeasurable, and those of us who have worked alongside him consider it a privilege to have done so. I know I speak for all of us when I say he will be missed greatly.
As Keith embarks on this new chapter, he will be devoting his time to personal creative pursuits, including drawing and gathering research to complete his long-anticipated books on geometry and colour. Knowing Keith, I have no doubt this next phase will be just as inspiring and impactful as his career in education.”