Nora Cundell facts for kids

Nora Lucy Mowbray Cundell (born May 20, 1889 – died August 3, 1948) was a talented English painter. She was known for her beautiful oil and watercolor paintings. Nora often painted people, flowers, and landscapes.

Nora Cundell's Artistic Journey

The Patchwork Quilt, 1919, a painting by Nora Cundell.

Nora Cundell was born in London, England. Her grandfather, Henry Cundell, was also an artist. Nora followed in his footsteps. She studied art at several schools. These included the Blackheath School of Art and the Westminster Technical Institute. At Westminster, she learned from a famous artist named Walter Sickert.

Nora also studied part-time at the Slade School of Art. She was there from 1911 to 1914, and again in 1919. While at Slade, she won a special award. It was called the Melvill Nettleship Prize. She won it in 1914 for her amazing figure compositions. These are paintings that focus on people.

Exhibitions and Recognition

In 1925, Nora Cundell had her very first solo art show. This means all the art in the show was hers. It was held at the Redfern Gallery in London. A few years later, in 1929, one of her paintings was shown in Paris. The painting was called Maggie. It was displayed at a very important art show called the Salon of the Académie des Beaux-Arts.

In 1930, Nora helped start a new group for artists. It was called the National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Gravers/Printmakers. This shows how important she was in the art world.

Travels and American Landscapes

Nora Cundell loved to visit America. She traveled there often. During her trips, she painted many portraits of Native Americans. She also captured the beautiful landscapes of Arizona and Colorado. Places like Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs were some of her favorite subjects to paint.

In 1940, Nora wrote and illustrated a book. It was called Unsentimental Journey. The book shared stories about her travels across America. She even drove from one coast to the other! She stopped to go hunting on horseback and visit rodeos. Some of her paintings from these trips were very famous. They included Madonna of the Painted Desert and Badger Creek Rapids. This second painting showed a part of the Colorado River. Both of these artworks were shown at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1936.

Later Life and Legacy

Nora Cundell became a regular artist at the Royal Academy. Her work was also shown at the New English Art Club and the Paris Salon. Her painting Smiling Woman from 1922 is now part of the Tate art collection.

Nora lived for some time near Windsor in a place called Dorney. She passed away in London in 1948. Her wishes were to have her ashes scattered near Lees Ferry in Arizona. This was a place she loved to paint. After she died, a special show was held in 1949. It was a memorial exhibition at the Royal Society of British Artists galleries in London. This show honored her life and her amazing artwork.