Hi everyone, I'm Xiaozhi, and I'm going to share a selection of notes in the field of illustration here.
Joan Gillchrest (1918 – 2008), British artist, born in Westminster, was one of the most famous naïve painters of the twentieth century in Cornwall. She came from a prominent family, with her great-grandfather George being the architect of St Pancras Station, while her uncle Sir Giles designed Battersea and Riverbank Power Station – the latter is now Tate Modern – as well as the iconic Red Pavilion **. Joan studied at the Grosvenor Academy of Art and exhibited at the Royal Academy and the New English Art Club. In 1969 she had her first solo exhibition at the Plymouth Art Gallery and for 20 years she exhibited in most galleries in Cornwall, followed by other solo exhibitions in Penzance, St Ives and London.
Influenced by the likes of Alfred Wallis and Kit Wood, Joan's paintings are among the most popular collections of works by post-war St. Ives artists. Hailed as one of the leading naïve artists of her time, she loved to paint Cornwall's rugged Penwith Peninsula, looking at quaint coastal villages and fishing boats out to sea, anyone can capture the humorous life of Connecticut in her colourful paintings.