Artist and lecturer, born in Liverpool, who studied fine art at the Polytechnic there; graduated from Newport College of Art; and gained his master’s at Reading University. Lived in Nottingham, where he was senior lecturer in fine art at The Nottingham Trent University. Sprawson gained three project awards from East Midlands Arts Board, 1985–92, in 1995 winning a drawing first prize, Biennial International for Sculpture and Drawing, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal. Later group shows included Michael Schultz Gallery, Berlin, 1991; Palace of Culture, Poznań, 1992; 7th Oriel Mostyn Open Exhibition, Llandudno, 1995–6; and winter show, Bernard Jacobson Gallery, 1996–7. At this time Sprawson was exhibiting paintings of simple shapes on grounds using muted colours, a contrast to earlier work which was densely layered and complex, and employed a rich palette.