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| Wood engravings |
Tirzah Garwood was born in 1908 and attended Eastbourne School of Art where she was taught wood engraving by Eric Ravilious, who she married in 1930. They lived first in Hammersmith before moving to Great Bardfield in Essex with fellow artist Edward Bawden and his wife Charlotte. Tirzah was an artist in her own right, and I love her wood block engravings, so well crafted.
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| Tirzah and Eric Ravilious |
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| Artist in the picture! |
It's funny how one gets attached to a group of artists, so it was with Eric Ravilious and other war artists. Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden painted the murals at Morley College, and I used to see their work every time I went to the cafe there. Some were lost during the second world war, but there are pictures of the originals. Closely associated with them were the Nash brothers, John and Paul. When I took a course on war artists at Morley College, I was in my element and am always keen to learn more about them.
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| 3D |
Tirzah Garwood's art often sat alongside her husband's in exhibitions, and I discovered what a talented artist she was. She continued with her art after she married Eric, but this is the first major exhibition dedicated to her work. It was such a good exhibition as many exhibits I had never seen before and included 3D boxed scenes, a bit like dioramas. One even has a little handle so the ducks move along the river (you are not allowed to do this at the exhibition as the work is so fragile, but it was tempting!).
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| Marbled papers |
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| 3D with moving ducks! |
Eric Ravilious died in a plane that was lost over Iceland during the second world war. Tirzah continued her art while looking after their three children. In 1942 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She eventually married Henry Swanzy a BBC producer in 1946, and continued with her art. She died in 1951.
The exhibition is a combination of different styles of Tirzah's art as it developed and also reversed back to her early art. It was interesting to see that she signed her art Tirzah Ravilious after she married Eric. Many artists tend to stick with their maiden names in the art world. As well as the wood engravings and 3D pictures, there are pencil sketches (the most touching are those of her children), oil paintings and marbled papers which she sold successfully as drawer liners etc.
A most interesting and revealing exhibition. An important one and great to see Tirzah's art given the exposure it so deserves. The exhibition continues until 26th May.
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