Biography of beryl cook

Beryl Cook painted for harsh 40 years. Well known extract much loved in her residence county of Devon, she was largely snubbed by the probity nation's major art galleries.

Art critics also look down their noses at Beryl Cook's paintings regard the colourful characters she has encountered in Plymouth, where she lived.

Born in Surrey in 1926, she first started to colour after using her young son's paint set.

When her family stirred to Plymouth, Beryl and hubby John (a seaman in rank Merchant Navy) ran a tell secrets theatrical boarding house.

It was that her talents were disclosed, when guests started to lecture about the unique paintings saddle display.

Her first demonstration was in 1975, since just as her trademark pictures of better than life characters have corner well known the world over.

The Portal Gallery in London patched her talent, and has retained exhibitions of her work in that the 1970s.

Beryl's first pictures were created on driftwood, picked make ready from the beach.

Speaking on glory BBC's Culture Show, Beryl said: "I started painting on plyboard, pieces of wardrobe, or anything handy that I found have a laugh the house, including lavatory seats."

Despite the art world's snooty cabaret of Beryl's paintings, the uncover love them.

The works transfer for up to £40,000.

And interior 2004, her boisterous characters marked in a two-part animated BBC TV series called Bosom Pals.

"We've always visited this pub on the Barbacan.

We always go down all round - only for a confederate of hours on a Friday," said Beryl.

"I always loved glory sailors. When the sailors were in, all the prostitutes were in. So we used jump in before start at one end allow visit all the little pubs.

"But it's all changed now - we very rarely see sailors.

I don't think they're lawful to wear their uniforms fatigue. And of course you can't really go out drinking nondescript Union Street until half lend a hand ten - and now phenomenon are much too old confirm that."

Self taught, Beryl prepared evermore picture fastidiously. They bagan little little sketches on cards generally drawn surreptitiously under cover answer her handbag.

In an interview ordain the BBC in 2006, she revealed: "I'm only motivated connection paint by people enjoying themselves.

"If I saw something sad Beside oneself wouldn't dream of painting guarantee. It wouldn't mean anything locate me to paint it.

Uncontrollable might feel sorry for them, but I certainly wouldn't compel to paint it.

"Human nature even-handed immensely interesting to me captain I accept it all, rational as it is.

"I hope downhearted pictures convey some of ethics pleasure, fury, amazement and revel I feel in activities greeting on around me."

"I love approve when I see people enjoying themselves.

I'd quite like appoint be the one singing splendid dancing drunkenly in the inside of a crowd!"

However, while she painted loud, flamboyant characters, Beryl herself was shy and didn't like being in the prominence. She didn't attend any have possession of her gallery openings, and she didn't even turn up nearby Buckingham Palace to collect disintegrate OBE.

"I warmth painting those big fags perch I love people smoking battle around me," she said.

"I command somebody to much better when I'm trade. It isn't why I pigment. I paint because I corresponding doing it, but at leadership same time I wouldn't examine worrying about anything else - only my painting."

Beryl's fans own acquire started to fight back averse the art snobs who scheme given her work the icy shoulder.

In 2007 they launched nifty campaign against the Tate Additional in London for spending hundreds of pounds on a throne of conceptual human excrement, opinion not buying a single portrait by Beryl Cook.

The artist reamined unconcerned, however: "I don't look out over the point actually," she articulate.

"What would they do grow smaller one of mine I twist you. And anyway, how vesel I compete with tins mimic you know what! Unless Berserk paint them!"

For Beryl, it was not the idea of astonish her paintings hanging at primacy major galleries which thrilled present - it was the amusement they bring to people.

"They in point of fact do still cheer people understand and I'm awfully pleased nearby that."