Billie Waters facts for kids

Billie Waters (born Phyllis Mary Waters on April 6, 1896 – died 1979) was a talented British artist. She was known for her unique painting style and for showing her artwork in many important exhibitions throughout her life.

The Life of Billie Waters

Early Life and Art School

Billie Waters was born in Richmond, Surrey, England. From a young age, she was interested in art. She went to two well-known art schools to learn how to paint. First, she studied at the Heatherley School of Fine Art. After that, she continued her training at the Grosvenor School of Modern Art.

Between 1926 and 1931, Billie Waters lived in Newlyn, Cornwall. This area is famous for its art community. While there, she studied with two important artists, Ernest Procter and Harold Harvey. She even worked as an apprentice for Ernest Procter, learning many special painting techniques from him.

Showing Her Art to the World

Billie Waters started showing her paintings to the public in 1928. Her artwork was displayed at the famous Royal Academy in London. This was a big achievement for an artist. She continued to show her work there every year for many years.

She also exhibited her paintings with other important art groups. These included the New English Art Club, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, and the Society of Women Artists. Billie Waters became an elected member of the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Gravers. This showed that her talent was recognized by other artists. In 1933, she had her very first solo art show at the Leicester Galleries in London. A year later, in 1934, she was asked to create a large painting, called a mural, for the Knightsbridge Grille in London.

Later Life and Artistic Style

Even though Billie Waters lived in London, she loved visiting Cornwall. She went there often and eventually moved to Lelant, a town in Cornwall. She also traveled a lot to France and Italy. These trips helped her learn about different art methods, especially fresco painting. Fresco is a way of painting on wet plaster.

Billie Waters developed her own special way of painting with oil paints. Her oil paintings often looked like they were made using a technique called tempera. Tempera uses egg yolk to bind the paint, giving a different look. She met another artist named Ben Nicholson in Cornwall. This meeting made her try out abstract art, which uses shapes and colors instead of realistic pictures. However, most of her artworks were realistic and showed things as they truly looked.