Wilhelmina Barns-Graham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
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Barns-Graham at No. 1 Porthmeor Studio, St Ives 1947
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| Born | 8 June 1912 |
| Died | 26 January 2004 (aged 91) St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
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| Resting place | Eastern cemetery, St Andrews |
| Education | Edinburgh College of Art |
| Occupation | Artist |
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (born June 8, 1912 – died January 26, 2004) was an important British artist. She was known for her abstract art. Abstract art uses shapes, colors, and lines instead of showing real objects. She was also a member of the famous Penwith Society of Arts.
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Early Life
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham was born in St Andrews, Scotland, on June 8, 1912. People often called her Willie. She came from an old Scottish family. From a young age, she showed a lot of artistic talent.
At school, Wilhelmina decided she wanted to be an artist. One of her paintings was chosen to be displayed on the wall. She later said that "painting chose me, not I it." This meant she felt a strong pull towards art.
Education and Training
After finishing school, Wilhelmina wanted to go to Edinburgh College of Art. Her father was not happy about this at first. But she finally enrolled in 1931.
At college, she learned from teachers like David Alison and William MacTaggart. She also became friends with other artists. These included Robert MacBryde, Robert Colquhoun, and William Gear. In 1933, she got sick with pleurisy, a lung illness. This made her take a break from her studies. She finally graduated in 1936.
Becoming an Artist
After college, Barns-Graham traveled to Paris and London to study art. In 1940, she moved to St Ives, a town in Cornwall, England. This was a big moment in her life. Many other modern artists lived there.
Soon after arriving, she met famous artists like Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson. She quickly found her first art studio in St Ives. Her early paintings were inspired by the beautiful Cornish landscapes and the St Ives harbor.
During World War II, she helped by volunteering in a factory. She made camouflage nets for a short time. However, the rough materials hurt her skin. So, she started knitting instead.
Joining Art Groups
In 1942, Barns-Graham joined the Newlyn Society of Artists. She also became a member of the St Ives Society of Artists. She showed her work in exhibitions every year. She also sent her art to major shows in Scotland. The secretary of the St Ives Society, Borlase Smart, really liked her work.
After the war, more young, modern artists joined the St Ives Society. Their art was often shown in a dark part of the New Gallery. This led to them being called 'The Artists Around the Font'. Some of the older, more traditional artists were not happy.
So, Barns-Graham and the other modern artists decided to show their work separately. They called themselves the Crypt Group. They used the crypt (a basement area) of the New Gallery for their shows. In March 1947, seventeen artists, including Barns-Graham, Ben Nicholson, and Barbara Hepworth, showed their art there.
Showing Art in London
Barns-Graham first showed her work in London in 1949. This happened at the Redfern Gallery. Artist Patrick Heron visited her studio and was very impressed. He helped her get her art shown. She later had her first solo show in London at the Redfern Gallery in 1952.
In 1949, Barns-Graham left the St Ives Society of Artists. She became one of the founding members of a new group. This group was called the Penwith Society of Arts. Their first exhibition in June 1949 was a huge success.
In 1950, the British Council bought her painting Upper Glacier. This was her biggest sale at the time. Her work was also shown in many other important exhibitions. She even showed her art internationally, like at the Biennale de Peinture de France in 1951.
Later Career and Recognition
For the next twenty years, Barns-Graham traveled often. She visited Switzerland, Italy, Paris, and Spain. She taught for a short time at Leeds School of Art (1956–1957). There, she became friends with artists Terry Frost and Stass Paraskos.
From 1960, she split her time between Cornwall and Scotland. She inherited a house in St Andrews from her aunt.
Later in her life, Barns-Graham received more recognition. She was given special honorary degrees from several universities. These included the University of St Andrews in 1992. She also became an honorary member of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1999. In 2001, she received the CBE honor.
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham passed away in St Andrews on January 26, 2004. She left all her property to The Barns-Graham Charitable Trust. She started this trust in 1987. The trust helps protect her art and teaches people about her life and work. It also supports art students with grants.
Artistic Style
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham's art often mixed abstract and real-world ideas. She was usually inspired by landscapes. Even as a child, she made abstract shapes with chalk.
When she arrived in Cornwall in 1940, her paintings began to explore new ideas. The shapes and colors of Cornwall, like the rocks and buildings, started to appear in her art. She was also influenced by artist Naum Gabo. He thought about how to show forms in space, not just as solid objects.
In 1949, she started her famous glacier paintings. These were inspired by her walks on the Grindelwald Glacier in Switzerland. These paintings showed things from all angles, even from the inside.
In the 1960s, Barns-Graham used more strict geometric shapes in her art. This was a way for her to try new things. She used strong colors and designs. Her work often had more energy than it first seemed. Squares and circles moved across the canvas. This style showed her interest in the work of Josef Albers.
Later, in the 1970s, she made a series of ice paintings. She also explored the energy of the sea and wind. She drew many wave-like lines, similar to artist Paul Klee. Her Expanding Form paintings from 1980 showed a more relaxed and poetic style.
From the late 1980s until her death, her paintings became even more free. They showed a lot of life and energy. She mainly worked on paper during this time. Her art became bolder and simpler. She said, "In my paintings I want to express the joy and importance of colour, texture, energy and vibrancy, with an awareness of space and construction. A celebration of life – taking risks so creating the unexpected."
Her work is now in many important art collections in Britain. These include the Arts Council of Great Britain, Tate Britain, the British Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Images for kids
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Scorpio Series 3, No.9 1997, in the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust collection
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Linear Abstract, 1958, Tate Gallery.
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The grave of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, Eastern Cemetery, St Andrews
