Beryl Cook was born in
1926 in Egham, Surrey, one of four
sisters. She showed no early promise, nor did
she have the benefit of any formal art
training. In fact, the only training for her
now famous pictures are the experiences of her life, in
which she has been a showgirl, a shorthand typist,
managed a pub, worked in a wholesale fruiterers and kept
a boarding house. Nothing and no one is safe from Beryl Cook's devastatingly accurate observation which is never cruel, but has a way of bringing everything down to earth. Above all she paints with humour. Beryl Cook is Plymouth landlady painting from life who suddenly attracted everyone's attention with her direct statements on the people and things around her. Never unkind, never offensive, she nevertheless has the gift of drawing attention to our funny human foibles and the amusing things of life. Evening Standard: "In many ways Beryl Cook is the nicest thing to happen to British painting for years." Plymouth Arts Centre: "Most of her paintings are funny. You can't say that about many primitives." Woman: "The nicest thing about Beryl Cook's paintings is the way they make people laugh." BBC: "Britain's most popular living painter." |
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Bathroom .............................................. Tango Busking ........................................... Dancing Class
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Taxi ........................................................................................................... Tenerife Days
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The Baron Entertains ....................... Percy at the Fridge ................................ Gare du Nord .......................
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Staircase ..................................... Tennis ................................................... Twins ....................................................