Gertrude Harvey facts for kids

Gertrude Harvey (born Bodinnar, 1879 – 1966) was a British artist. She was an important part of the Newlyn School of artists. She also showed her paintings often at the famous Royal Academy.

Early Life and Artistic Journey

Gertrude Harvey was born in 1879. She was the eighth of ten children. Her parents were Ann Crews Bodinnar and John Matthews Bodinnar. Her father was a cooper, meaning he made barrels.

Gertrude's grandfather, William Curnow, was a market gardener. He was also a well-known botanist, someone who studies plants.

Becoming an Artist

Gertrude started her art journey by modeling for students. She posed for artists at the Forbes School of Painting in Newlyn. This is how she met Harold Harvey, who was also an artist. She modeled for him too.

Gertrude and Harold got married around 1911. They made their home in Newlyn. By modeling, Gertrude became very interested in art. She loved watching how the artists in Newlyn worked.

Learning and Growing

Gertrude modeled for several famous artists. These included Laura Knight, Harold Knight, and Ruth Simpson. Even though she was mostly self-taught, she became a very skilled artist.

She mainly painted still-lifes, which are pictures of objects like fruit or flowers. She also painted beautiful flowers and landscapes.

Exhibitions and Success

At first, Gertrude showed and sold her oil paintings locally. She used the Newlyn Art Gallery for this. But in the 1920s and 1930s, she began showing her art in London.

London Shows

One of her London exhibitions was very successful. Every single painting was sold! The famous writer George Bernard Shaw even wrote the introduction for her exhibition catalog.

Gertrude also had joint exhibitions with her husband, Harold. They showed their art together at the Leicester Galleries in London. This happened in 1918 and again in 1920.

Royal Academy and Beyond

Gertrude Harvey also showed her work at the Royal Academy. This is a very important place for art in Britain. Between 1930 and 1949, twenty of her paintings were chosen for Royal Academy exhibitions.

From 1945 to 1949, she regularly showed her art. She exhibited with the St Ives Society of Artists.

Later Years

Harold Harvey, Gertrude's husband, passed away in 1941. Gertrude continued to live in their home, Maen Cottage, until 1960. After that, she moved to a nursing home in St Just. She passed away in 1966.