Arthur Dooley

Arthur John Dooley (17 January 1929 – 7 January 1994) was an English artist and sculptor.

Born in Liverpool, Dooley commenced employment as a welder at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead and in 1945 was enlisted in the Irish Guards and became a piper in the regiment's band. During his 9 years of service, he served in Europe and the Middle East, deserting at one stage and joining the Palestine Liberation Army before being caught and spending a lengthy period in detention. Dooley took part in the traditional Changing of the Guard when serving at Chelsea barracks and eventually reached the rank of sergeant. After leaving the army, Dooley began work as a cleaner at Saint Martin's School of Art in London. He became a student there in 1953. Dooley had his first exhibition at the Gallery of the same name in 1962. Having decided he wanted to be a sculptor, he left London for Liverpool and set up a tiny studio. To support himself financially, he took a job with the police force which patrolled Liverpool's many parks. He later worked in the large Dunlop Rubber Factory at Speke. In 1956, he set up a studio in Slater St where he began to sculpt in earnest.

He was a subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in February 1970 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.

His medium was usually scrap metal or bronze. He sculpted mainly religious works including the Risen Christ in the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Redemption (a collaborative work with Ann McTavish) in Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral The Resurrection of Christ at Princes Park Methodist Church in Toxteth and a Madonna and Child at St Faith's Church in Crosby. He also produced a tribute to The Beatles in Mathew Street, Liverpool, depicting The Madonna and The Beatles with the tribute "Four lads who shook the world". His studio in Liverpool was notoriously untidy, and is reportedly untouched since his death. Other notable works are the fifteen Stations of the Cross in St Mary's RC Church, Leyland, and a sculpture entitled 'Splitting the Atom' (depicting the creation of the atomic bomb) at Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire. One of his famous works Dachau is in Gallery Oldham. In honour of a famous union dispute he made "The Fisher Bendix Tree"which was composed in some part of old radiators.This was purchased by Oldham Art Gallery but was never displayed.Last seen rusting away in the yard of the gallery during the 1980s.

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