Dorothy Mead facts for kids

Dorothy Mead (1928 – 12 June 1975) was a British artist. She was a painter and a teacher. She was also a member of a group of artists called the London Group.

Early Life and Art Education

Growing Up and Starting Art

Dorothy Mead was born in London, England, in 1928. She was adopted when she was three months old. Her new family lived in Walthamstow. Her mother owned a flower shop.

Dorothy first met a famous art teacher, David Bomberg, in 1944. He was teaching at the South East Essex School of Art. She liked his teaching so much that she followed him. She studied with him at the City Literary Institute and then at the Borough Polytechnic. She learned from Bomberg from 1945 to 1951.

In 1946, Dorothy helped start the Borough Group. This was a group of artists. They were all students of David Bomberg. Other members included Cliff Holden.

Studying at Slade School of Art

From 1956 to 1959, Dorothy went to the Slade School of Art. This was a well-known art school. There, she met another artist and teacher, Andrew Forge. She had a big impact on younger students. These included Patrick Procktor and Mario Dubsky.

In 1959, she became the first woman president of Young Contemporaries. This was a student art society. It is now called New Contemporaries. The year before, the Slade School gave her two awards. She won the Figure Painting Prize. She also won the Steer Prize.

Even with her awards, Dorothy was asked to leave the Slade in 1959. She refused to take a class on perspective. Perspective is a way to show depth in art. Dorothy, like her teacher Bomberg, believed it was not the best way to paint. Her ideas were not accepted by the school's principal.

Art Career and Teaching

Exhibitions and Recognition

In 1964, Dorothy Mead showed her art in a special exhibition. It was called Six Young Painters. This show was organized by the Arts Council England. Other famous artists were also in the show. These included Peter Blake and David Hockney.

Dorothy joined the London Group of artists in 1960. A famous art critic, David Sylvester, praised her work. He said her paintings often showed the importance of light. Her partner, Cliff Holden, said Dorothy always stuck to her beliefs. He also said she was an "outsider" artist.

Teaching and Influence

In 1964, Dorothy started teaching at Goldsmiths College. A student there, Barry Martin, said she was "like a breath of fresh air." She challenged old ideas about art and class. Her family said she lived "on the edge" of reality. She worked in a small studio in Ladbroke Grove. But she would go to fancy areas like Berkeley Square to buy paints.

Another artist, Dennis Creffield, described her. He said she had a "great love of art." He also said she was "stylish in appearance." Her strong and expressive art could be seen in her 1970 exhibition. It was called The Acrobat. It was shown at the Borough Road Gallery.

Dorothy was the President of the London Group from 1971 to 1973. She also taught at Morley College twice. From 1963 to 1965, she taught painting. From 1973 to 1975, she taught drawing and painting. She also taught at Chelsea College of Art from 1962 to 1964.

Dorothy was a strong believer in women's rights. She once joked that if she changed her name to George, she might sell more art. This showed the challenges women artists faced.

Artworks and Legacy

Where Her Art Is Today

The Tate Gallery and other art museums own some of Dorothy Mead's paintings. Her art was also shown in a 1991 exhibition. It was called Bomberg and his Legacy. This show was at the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne.

In 2005, a special exhibition of her work was held. This was 30 years after she passed away. Even though other artists respected her, it was her first ever solo art show.

After her death in 1975, some people claimed her paintings were stolen. They said this happened from a warehouse in Essex. However, there is no proof of this claim.

Dorothy Mead did not leave a will when she died. Some of her paintings are now held by her sister, Valerie Long. These works are sold by Waterhouse & Dodd. Other paintings are owned by another family member. Many are also held by private art collectors.

A number of her artworks are part of the Sarah Rose Collection. This collection is at London South Bank University. In early 2024, her works were shown there. They were displayed alongside paintings by Edna Mann at the Borough Road Gallery.