David Barrie

How would you define yourself?

Author. Former diplomat, arts administrator and social reform campaigner.

David Barrie

Please describe yourself and your areas of interest.

Former Director of the Guild - in which capacity I played a central role in the establishment of the Campaign for Drawing. Founder and Chair of Ruskin To-Day (1995-2014), in which capacity I coordinated the programme of events to mark the centenary of Ruskin’s death (in 2000). Editor of abridged edition of Ruskin’s magnum opus, MODERN PAINTERS (Andre Deutsch 1987). Author of SEXTANT: A VOYAGE GUIDED BY THE STAR AND THE MEN WHO MAPPED THE WORLD’S OCEANS (Wm Collins 2014) and INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS: EXPLORING THE AMAZING SCIENCE OF ANIMAL NAVIGATION (Hodder & Stoughton, to be published in April 2019).

Why did you become a Companion of the Guild?

I wanted to contribute to the widening of public understanding of Ruskin’s ideas, and to promote the implementation of those that are still relevant today.