Elisabeth Vellacott (1905-2002)

Artist, born in Grays, Essex. Elisabeth Vellacott studied at Willesden School of Art, 1922-5, then Royal College of Art, 1925, where she was influenced by decorative art Victoria & Albert Museum. Initially Vellacott was a designer of fabrics, costumes, and theatre sets, concentrating on painting after World War II, during which destruction of her studio cost most of her work prior to 1942. She became known for her meticulous landscape studies in pencil as well as for figurative and imaginative scenes, which were stylised in an earl Italian manner. Elisabeth Vellacott's first show was shared with Gertrude Hermes at the Minories, Colchester, in1968. A retrospective covering her paintings and drawings, 1942-81, was held at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, 1981, with a ninetieth birthday show there 1995, drawing retrospective at Piers Feetham Gallery, 2000, and a memorial at the Redfern Gallery in 2003. Also showed at New Art Centre.