Guy Lawson
Author & Lecturer
I am a published author and an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society of Great Britain.
I have written two novels, Late Venetian and The Art Lovers, as well as a guidebook to walks around the waterways of the North West.
About Guy Lawson
Apart from three years studying History of Art and Philosophy at University College London, I have lived my entire life in the North West – born in Warrington, lived and worked in Manchester, and fifteen years ago moved to north Cumbria. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Member of the Institute of Economic Development.
In the 1990s, I ran a NW-based public relations agency called Lawson Leah then worked for various organisations in the construction industry, as CEO of Construction for Merseyside Ltd and then Director of the Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association. I have been a guest lecturer on urban regeneration and chaired a housing association for three years, and now work part-time as a consultant.
As well as two novels, I have had articles on a range of topics, including the arts, construction, engineering, housing and economic development published in numerous magazines, as well as poetry and a guidebook to waterway walks in the NW.
My approach to writing tends to involve identifying a problematic situation and then finding a means of resolving it. I derive particular pleasure from finding the right words to achieve that. I was first inspired to write, as a teenager, after reading The Catcher in the Rye, and latterly find inspiration in the daunting novels of Bellow, Nabokov and Pynchon.
Late Venetian: information and how to buy.
The Art Lovers: information and how to buy.
https://www.blossomspringpublishing.com/shop/the-art-lovers/
TWO NEW BOOKS COMING SOON IN 2026: A Small Bowler Hat and The Ransom Strip
LECTURING
I have a BA in History of Art and Philosophy from University College London, and a Masters degree in Aesthetics from Manchester University. I was subsequently a freelance arts journalist for over a decade, and have long been a keen collector of works of art. I am an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society: https://theartssociety.org/
Some of the topics I am able to give lectures on include:
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The Mystery of Giorgione
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Mannerism (and the return of Parmigianino’s Vision of St Jerome)
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The portraits of Fantin-Latour
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Do paintings represent or resemble reality?
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Are there objective criteria for assessing works of art?
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The evolution of The New York School after WWII
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Willem de Kooning
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The architecture of Skidmore Owings & Merrill
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The rise and decline of The Modern Movement in architecture
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Above and beyond: design in civil engineering structures
Reader Recommendations
(Late Venetian) is a part amusing and part poignant story about lives lived. It has a little of everything, humour, sadness, an engaging story and a well-judged pace that keeps you fascinated and interested to the last paragraph.
This is a captivating book that left me thoroughly impressed. The author’s writing style is exceptional, so it's both an engaging and thought-provoking read.
One of the standout features of this book is its meticulous research. The author has clearly invested significant effort into ensuring accuracy and depth, which adds authenticity to the narrative.
The characters in "Late Venetian" are portrayed with a remarkable level of empathy and sympathy. This empathetic approach brings the characters to life and makes their experiences resonate deeply.
The Art Lovers is an interesting novel and one I would have not normally have picked up but I have to say I am so glad I did. A complex tale that deals with numerous conflicts and resolutions for me the stand out factor was the way the characters are presented.