Phyllis Bray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phyllis Bray
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At work on the People’s Palace murals, 1936
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| Born | 30 August 1911 Norwood, London, England
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| Died | 1991 (aged 79–80) Hampstead, London, England
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| Education | Slade School of Art |
| Known for | Painting, book illustration, murals |
| Spouse(s) | John Cooper, Eric Phillips |
Phyllis Bray (born August 30, 1911 – died 1991) was a talented British artist and illustrator. She was famous for being part of the East London Group of artists. Phyllis also created amazing large wall paintings called murals and illustrated many children's books. Throughout her career, her artwork was shown at important places like the Royal Academy and other top art galleries in London.
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Who Was Phyllis Bray?
Phyllis Bray was born in Norwood, a part of west London. Her father, William de Bray, worked as a diplomat for Britain. This meant he represented his country in other nations. At one point, he worked for the mother of Russia's ruler.
Learning to Be an Artist
Phyllis was very good at art from a young age. She won a special scholarship to study at the Slade School of Art from 1927 to 1931. This was a famous art school in London. Her teacher there was Henry Tonks, a well-known artist himself. Phyllis won several awards during her time at the Slade School.
Joining Art Groups and Getting Married
In 1933, Phyllis became a member of the London Group, another important art society. She also married her first husband, John Cooper, who was also an artist and taught art classes. Together, they became key members of the East London Group. This group was known for painting scenes of everyday life in London.
Phyllis Bray's Amazing Artworks
Phyllis Bray became well-known for her landscape paintings. She used both oil paints and watercolors to create beautiful scenes. She was also famous for her murals, which are large paintings done directly on walls.
Creating Murals for Buildings
For over 40 years, Phyllis worked with another mural artist named Hans Feibusch. They painted murals together in many churches across Britain. Phyllis also worked on her own mural projects. For example, she created three large murals for the People's Palace on the Mile End Road in east London. These murals showed Music, Drama, and Ballet. Today, this building is part of Queen Mary University of London. Another mural Phyllis painted for St Crispin's Church in Bermondsey can still be seen today.
Illustrating Books and Designing Posters
Many big publishers, like Oxford University Press and Faber & Faber, asked Phyllis to illustrate books. She illustrated several books especially for children. In 1938, Phyllis also designed a poster for London Transport. This poster promoted the famous Wimbledon tennis championship. She also designed advertisements for companies like Shell-Mex & BP and the John Lewis Partnership.
Exhibitions and Collections
Phyllis Bray's art was shown in many important exhibitions.
Where Her Art Was Displayed
She exhibited her paintings at the Royal Academy in 1950, 1952, 1955, and 1960. Her work was also part of group shows at the Leicester Galleries in London. She had her own solo exhibitions at the Drian Gallery in London and the Mignion Gallery in Bath.
Where You Can Find Her Work Today
Today, examples of Phyllis Bray's artwork can be found in several art collections. These include the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the Blackpool Art Gallery, New College, Oxford, and the UK Government Art Collection. After she passed away, a special exhibition was held in 1998 at the Collyer Bristow gallery to remember her work.
Images for kids
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At work on the People’s Palace murals, 1936
