Helen Binyon facts for kids

Helen Francesca Mary Binyon (born December 9, 1904 – died November 22, 1979) was a talented British artist and writer. She was known for her beautiful watercolour paintings, her detailed illustrations for books, and her amazing puppet shows. Helen Binyon was also a puppeteer, meaning she created and performed with puppets.

Helen Binyon's Life Story

Helen Binyon was born in Chelsea, a part of London. Her father was a famous poet and scholar named Laurence Binyon. Helen went to school at St Paul's Girls' School.

Becoming an Artist

Helen loved art and studied at the Royal College of Art from 1922 to 1926. There, she learned from a great teacher named Paul Nash. Some of her classmates became famous artists too, like Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious.

After her time at the Royal College, Helen traveled to Paris, France. She studied art there at a place called the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. Later, from 1928 to 1930, she learned how to do engraving at the Central School of Arts and Crafts. Engraving is a way of making pictures by carving into a surface.

Soon after finishing her studies, Helen had an art show with her friends Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious. Their work was shown at the Redfern Gallery in London.

Teaching and Puppets

From 1931 to 1938, Helen Binyon taught art part-time. She taught at the Eastbourne College of Art and also at the North London Collegiate School.

Helen had a twin sister named Margaret. Together, they created a special traveling puppet theatre called Jiminy Puppets. They would put on shows with their puppets. In 1938, Helen also drew pictures for a special series of books called Penguin Illustrated Classics. One of the books she illustrated was Pride and Prejudice.

World War II and Beyond

During World War II, Helen used her drawing skills to help out. She worked for the British Admiralty, drawing special maps for ships called hydrographic charts. These maps show water depths and coastlines. Later in the war, she helped prepare photo exhibitions for the Ministry of Information. She also worked in the ambulance service, helping people who were hurt.

After the war, Helen went back to teaching art. She taught at the Willesden School of Art. Then, from 1949 to 1965, she taught at the Bath Academy of Art.

In 1979, a show of her watercolour paintings was held at the Grafton Gallery. Helen's love for puppets continued throughout her life. She even wrote two books about puppetry, including one in 1971 about professional puppetry. This book was asked for by the Arts Council.

Helen also wrote the first book ever published about her friend Eric Ravilious. She illustrated many other books too. Some were for her father's play, Brief Candles, and others were for a series of books written by her sister Margaret Binyon. Helen often used pen and ink for her children's book pictures. For other books, she made wood engravings. She was a member of the Society of Wood Engravers.

Books by Helen Binyon

Helen Binyon wrote and illustrated many books. Here are some of them:

• Angeline or L'Amie Inconnne (1933, Swan Press) by M.Edgeworth, illustrated by Helen Binyon
• Sophro the Wise. A play for children by Laurence Binyon with Margaret and Helen Binyon (1927, Ernest Benn)
• Brief Candles, a play by Laurence Binyon, with engravings by Helen Binyon
• The Birthday party (1940, Oxford University Press, OUP) with Margaret Binyon
• Polly and Jane (1940, OUP) with Margaret Binyon
• A Country Visit (1940, OUP) with Margaret Binyon
• A Day at the Sea (1940, OUP) with Margaret Binyon
• Christmas Eve, A tale of Children (1942, OUP)
• The Picnic (1944, OUP)
• Polly Goes to School (1944, OUP)
• Polly and Jane's House (1949, OUP)
• The Railway Journey (1949, OUP)
• The Children Next Door (1949, Aladdin Books)
• An Everyday Alphabet (1952, OUP)
• Puppetry Today (1966)
• Professional Puppetry in England (1973)
• Eric Raviliouis - Memoir of an Artist (1983, Lutterworth Press)