Joanna Carrington facts for kids

Joanna Carrington (born 6 November 1931 – died 13 November 2003) was a talented British artist. She was known for her beautiful paintings, especially her landscapes. She also used a secret artist name for some of her work.

Early Life and Art Training

Growing Up in an Artistic Family

Joanna Carrington was born in Hampstead, London, in 1931. She grew up in a family that loved art. Her father, Noel Carrington, was a publisher and designer. Her aunt, Dora Carrington, was also a famous artist. Joanna never met her aunt, but art was clearly in her family.

Love for the Countryside

When World War II began, Joanna's family moved. They went to Lambourn in Berkshire, a countryside area. Her father worked on a farm there. Living in the countryside made Joanna fall in love with nature. This love stayed with her for her entire life.

Studying Art in Europe

At 17, Joanna went to a summer art school. It was in East Anglia and run by Cedric Morris. He was very impressed by her painting skills. After that, Joanna moved to Paris, France. She studied art in the studio of a well-known artist named Fernand Léger.

In 1949, Joanna returned to England. She studied at the Central School of Art and Design in London. Her teachers there included famous artists Mervyn Peake and Keith Vaughan. While at the school, Joanna won a special award called the Queen's Scholarship. Her work was also shown in a group art show in 1952.

Becoming a Professional Artist

Starting Her Career

Joanna Carrington lived in Nigeria for a while with her first husband, Mick Pilcher. After they separated, she came back to London. She opened her own art studio and started showing her paintings again. Her first solo art show was in 1962.

Teaching and Writing

Joanna also began teaching art to students. She taught at several art schools in London. In 1966, she married artist and film director Christopher Mason. She continued to show her art in galleries. Joanna also wrote articles about painting for a newspaper. These articles were later published as a book called Landscape Painting for Beginners in 1971.

The Secret Artist: Reg Pepper

A New Painting Style

In 1973, Joanna Carrington started painting in a new way. She used a simple, folk-art style. For these paintings, she used a secret name: Reg Pepper. She showed these paintings in London. People really liked the art by "Reg Pepper."

Identity Revealed

In 1981, a newspaper found out that Reg Pepper was actually Joanna Carrington. Even after her real identity was known, her "Pepper" paintings continued to sell well. In 1984, she was asked to draw pictures for a children's book. The book was called Pepper and Jam.

Later Life and Legacy

Painting in France

From 1979 onwards, Joanna and her husband spent more time in France. Joanna started painting many landscapes there. Her new paintings were inspired by the art style called Post-Impressionism, which she loved. They lived in different places in France, including Brittany and Poitiers.

Exhibitions and Memory

Joanna Carrington kept showing her art in England. She had exhibitions at several art galleries. She passed away in 2003. In 2005, her husband wrote a book about her life. A special art show was also held to remember her work.