Gladys Vasey facts for kids

Gladys Vasey (born Gladys Johnstone on June 8, 1889 – died January 22, 1981) was a talented British artist. She was especially known for her amazing portrait paintings and beautiful landscapes.

About Gladys Vasey

Gladys Vasey was born in Blackpool, England. She grew up in Manchester. After finishing school in Germany, she took private art lessons in Manchester in 1909. Her teacher was an artist named William Fitz.

In 1911, Gladys married Roland Vasey, who worked as an insurance surveyor. For a while, they lived in Birkenhead and then in Cheshire.

Becoming a Professional Artist

In 1936, Gladys moved to Newlyn in Cornwall. There, she attended the famous Stanhope Forbes School of Painting. She also took classes with another well-known artist, Lamorna Birch.

During World War II, Gladys Vasey lived mostly in Wales. Her artistic talent was recognized when she won first prize for one of her paintings in 1946. This award was given at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, which is a big festival of Welsh culture.

Her Art and Legacy

Gladys Vasey was a member of several important art groups. She belonged to the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts. She showed her artwork there regularly from the 1930s all the way to the 1960s.

She was also a member of the Society of Women Artists and the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art. In the 1950s, she often exhibited her paintings with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. Throughout her career, her work was shown at the annual modern art exhibition at the Atkinson Art Gallery in Southport.

Starting in 1957, Gladys Vasey also wrote articles for the Art Quarterly magazine.

Her artwork has been featured in special exhibitions. The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth held a solo show of her work called Portraits and other paintings. Later, in 1991, the National Library organized a traveling exhibition to show her art to more people. Today, you can find examples of her work at both the National Library of Wales and the Manchester Art Gallery.