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by Hilary Bracegirdle (Author)
Discover the real Beryl Cook through a wealth of newly unearthed material that brings fresh insight to this beloved artist.
Beryl Cook (1926-2008) was renowned for her exuberant paintings yet she remained a famously private figure. Now, thanks to unprecedented access to a recently rediscovered family archive, a fuller picture of Beryl emerges. This illustrated volume shares images many of which have never been published before. Thousands of letters, photographs, and personal papers found in the attic reveal the networks of friends, family, business partners, and creative collaborators who shaped her career. Correspondence with figures such as photographer Barbara Ker-Seymer, art critic Edward Lucie-Smith, and drag artist Ruby Venezuela captures the lively, witty world she inhabited, while hundreds of fan letters show how deeply her work resonated with those who felt unseen, from middle-aged women to LGBTQ+ and working-class communities. Alongside this treasure trove of material, the book offers new insight into Beryl's methods and inspiration, shedding light on the private technique behind her unmistakable style. We meet her family and pets and follow her through her adored hometown streets. Published at a moment of renewed interest in her art, this biography forms part of an overdue reassessment that places Beryl beyond the limiting label of 'naive', acknowledging both her skill and her deep empathy for those she depicted. This book offers the most vivid and intimate picture yet of a singular artist, carrying with it a large amount of leopard print and dollops of saucy humor.Author Biography
Hilary Bracegirdle has enjoyed a career as a curator and director in a variety of museums, starting with the V&A in London and including The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket and the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro. She has also held several roles at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery (now known as The Box). She has looked after an extraordinary collection for Devon and Cornwall Police, worked as a heritage consultant and, in 2015, completed the maximum six-year term as Committee Member, SW Committee for the Heritage Lottery Fund.
In the course of her work, Hilary has curated numerous exhibitions in the UK, Germany, the US, and Japan. None of them made people quite so joyful as the Beryl Cook exhibition that she developed for Plymouth City Council in 2017. She continues to be in demand for her lively talks about Beryl. Hilary has written numerous reports, options appraisals, strategies and business cases, and has published and edited catalogs, but none of them have been especially amusing. Beryl Cook is her first book
Number of Pages: 240
Dimensions: 0.95 x 9.77 x 7.57 IN
Publication Date: September 15, 2026
