Beryl Cook and how her prints ended up in the homes of millions
Beryl Cook is one of the UK's best loved artists, creating paintings and sculptures that didn't alienate anyone. She simply painted everyday images of people that she would see around her. Her artwork ranges from ladies getting on the bus for a night out to the dustbin men coming to pick up the rubbish in the morning. She was an everyday person; this could be seen in her work and is why she is loved so much by the British public.
Beryl's first love was a man called John Cook who lived across the road from her home in Surrey and they began seeing each other when they were 15 years old. John was signed up in order to serve his country during the war as a member of the Merchant Navy. They kept in touch while he was away and when he returned in 1948 they got married but it was not until Beryl's son John was born that she found her artistic talent. In 1950 their son John was born and soon after the new family moved to what is now Zimbabwe. During the 9 years they were there Beryl would use her son John's paint set to paint the odd picture to pass the time but these were far from the Beryl Cook prints we see today.
On returning to England John found a job in the motor trade in Bodmin and they became friends with a local antiques dealer. The antiques dealer noticed Beryl's artwork and asked if she would mind if she sold some in her shop. They sold all 3 paintings and this inspired Beryl to start painting more often and sell her paintings through her friends shop.
Despite never really promoting herself as an artist or actively trying to sell paintings, Beryl still managed to become a successful artist. This was mainly down to postcards and prints of her work that were both affordable and non threatening to the people that bought them. It wasn't until Beryl Cook reached her later life that she became an internationally recognised artist that is loved across the globe.