Helen Monro Turner facts for kids

Helen Monro Turner (born December 16, 1901 – died September 21, 1977) was a talented Scottish artist. She lived and worked in Edinburgh, Scotland. Helen was busy her whole life, working as a specialist in wood cuts, a glass engraver, an illustrator, and a teacher. She helped start the very first glass engraving department at the Edinburgh College of Art in 1941. Her art projects varied greatly in size. She could engrave a single glass or a small crystal box. She also created huge art pieces, like the windows in the National Library of Scotland.

Early Life and Learning

Helen Monro Turner was born in Calcutta, India, on December 16, 1901. Later, she moved back to Scotland with her family. She went to school at George Watson's Ladies College. After that, she studied at the University of Edinburgh. In 1927, she earned a degree from Edinburgh College of Art. There, she focused on wood engraving, which is a way of making art by carving designs into wood.

In 1938, the Edinburgh College of Art gave her a special scholarship. This allowed her to study glass making and decorating. She went to the Kunstgewerbeschule in Stuttgart, Germany. She learned from a famous professor named Wilhelm von Eiff. In August 1939, when her studies ended, she quickly left Stuttgart for Zurich. This was because she felt it was safer to be on the other side of the border.

In 1943, Helen married Professor William E.S. Turner. He was the person who started the Turner Museum of Glass at Sheffield University. Helen wore a very unusual wedding outfit. Her dress, hat, handbag, and shoes were all made from glass-fibre! These special items were made in Glasgow. Her unique wedding dress was even chosen as one of the items in the BBC's famous collection, A History of the World in 100 Objects.

Her Artistic Career

After finishing college, Helen Monro Turner became a successful book illustrator. From 1933 onwards, she worked with publishers like Thomas Nelsons & Sons. She illustrated many books and designed their covers. Some of her first big illustration jobs were for the Nelson Classics editions. She drew pictures for Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking-Glass. She also illustrated other classic books. These included Tales from the Norse, The Heroes, and The Count of Monte Cristo. She also designed covers for books by Robert Kemp.

In 1941, Helen Monro Turner started teaching glass engraving at the Edinburgh College of Art. This class grew into a whole department called the Studio Glass Department. She became a full-time teacher there in 1947. By 1965, a special furnace was added to the department. This meant students could learn all parts of designing and making glass. This department became one of the best in the UK for glass art. Helen Monro Turner herself was seen as one of the most important people in British glass art during the 20th century.

In 1956, she opened the Juniper Green Studio. This studio was just outside Edinburgh. She ran it with John Lawrie, who used to be her student. Helen Monro Turner passed away in 1977. In 2005, John Lawrie retired. The items from their Juniper Green Studio were sold at an auction in Edinburgh. In July 2007, The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh held a special art show. It was called the Helen Monro Turner Memorial Exhibition, honoring her work.