Gwenda Morgan (1908-1991)

A wood engraver, painter, and book illustrator, born in Petworth, Sussex. She studied at Goldsmiths' College, 1926-29 before going to the Grosvenor School to study engraving under Iain Macnab, 1930-36. Her works are often a series of vignettes woven together in the same piece and, although frequently seeming to be simplistic, contain a high degree of craftsmanship which is not at first apparent. She worked for a number of private presses, in particular, the Samson Press, where her first commission was Picture and Rhymes, published in 1936. She was associated with them until its closure in 1971 and Morgan also illustrated works such as Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard for the Golden Cockerel Press. She was a member of the SWE and was elected a member of the RE in 1961. Examples of her work are held in the collections of the AO, Brighton Art Gallery, BM, Hunterian and Worthing Art Gallery. With thanks to artbiogs.co.uk