Born into a large and non arty family in Colkirk, Norfolk, Tim was unable to pursue any art education or professional practice until his late maturity (although he says he never really did grow up!). He moved away from East Anglia early in life and settled in Cornwall in 1979.
After careers in Health and Social Care, Tim studied art history at Falmouth College of Art graduating with a Masters in Art & Design: Histories and Theories in 2005. At the same time, he was studying Fine Art at Cornwall College before moving back to University College Falmouth and gaining a BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2007. With his wife, the artist Diana WAYNE, he took on the management of Morvah Schoolhouse, a community art space before spending a year running the Over the Moon gallery in St Agnes. They then moved to Penzance in 2009 and opened The Alverton Gallery, their own enterprise, where they currently have their studio space.
Tim is well known for his stark woodcut bird prints and ceramic figurative pieces but also produces fine expressionist paintings.
With an MA from Falmouth College of Art, Diana and her husband Tim WAYNE own and run the Alverton Gallery in Penzance. They exhibit their own work together with the arts and crafts of other local artists, holding a regular season of openings and exhibitions throughout the year.
Diana exhibited the Installation that she created for her Diploma Show, Finding Dora, as part of the book-related events for the first Penzance Literary Festival (2010). The work was focussed on the life of her grandmother, as found through the re-creation of her diaries, one handmade book for each year of her grandmother's life, arranged in a replica bedroom scene. Beautifully crafted, the setting of Trevelyan House, Chapel Street, Penzance, was an excellent venue for this 'period piece' which found Dora and trailed her through the World Wars, her marriage, and children's lives.
Diana initially studied art as part of her Teacher’s Certificate which she gained from St Gabriel’s Teacher Training College (now part of Goldsmiths) in London. She pursued her career in primary school teaching through to Headships in Inner London and Cornwall. She attended Falmouth College of Art for Foundation Studies 1999 to 2001, then added HND Fine Arts at Cornwall College in 2003 and finished her formal training with a Masters degree in Illustration from University College Falmouth in 2008.
With her husband, Diana took on the management of Morvah Schoolhouse, a community art space before spending a year running the Over the Moon gallery in St Agnes. They then moved to Penzance in 2009 and opened The Alverton Gallery, where they currently have their studio space.
Diana is known equally for her exquisite etchings and screenprints as for her keenly observed paintings of the affection between mother and child rendered in her sparing visual language utilising resist and text.
Born at Walton, near Chertsey, Surrey, Richard Copeland was a son of Edward and Evelyn Mary Weatherby, from the family of administrators and bankers for the Jockey Club of the UK. The name Weatherby is synonymous with horse racing. After education at Horris Hill School and Winchester College, he studied art with Frank Calderon at his School of Animal Painting. Then came studies at Westminster School of Art, St John's Wood Art Schools (1909), and the Royal Academy Schools (1911-12).
Known by his nickname "Seal" since schooldays, he already knew about the Lamorna Colony before leaving the RA and was living there and friendly with Alfred James MUNNINGS and many others when WWI broke out. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the Essex Yeomanry cavalry from soon after he enlisted in August 1914, until he was seriously wounded in the right wrist in early 1917. After hospital treatment he convalesced with Frank Gascoigne HEATH's family and began to resume his artistic career. After taking further instruction under Stanhope FORBES, he developed his own distinctive style of portrait and animal painting in oils, water-colour and crayon.
A lifelong friendship with Frank Nugent, resulted in Seal's holiday in India in 1926 during Nugent's Army service there. The voyage by sea, via the Suez Canal to Bombay and the subsequent rail journey via Belgaum and the Central Provinces of India to Kashmir, where the journey continued by horseback, provided Seal with the opportunity to complete a large portfolio of canvases and sketches of the exotic and extremely colourful images he saw, under the very bright sunlight conditions prevailing in the subcontinent. Back in Cornwall these paintings provided the foundation for an exhibition and sale at the Alpine Club Gallery in 1930. The proceeds were used to finance a pack of hounds and his own house and stables above Mullion Cove, in use by about 1935.
By nature a charming and gregarious person with many female friends, Seal married (1943) in his early sixties, Karenza Boscawen, in her late thirties, at Gulval Church. They lived at Alverton Manor Penzance where they both enjoyed the last ten years of his life in their common pursuits of hunting, gardening and painting. With Seal's health failing in 1950, they relocated near family in Brill, Buckinghamshire.
Following a final solo exhibition at the RBA Gallery (Oct 1952) in London, Seal died from emphysema and heart failure in November 1953. He was cremated at Oxford where his ashes were scattered. Seal Weatherby was of independent means and painted for pleasure.He did not carry out paid commissions, but for his farmer friends, would complete a portrait of a daughter for a year's supply of oats for his horses. Although remembered as friendly and outgoing he was by family trait a very private man, leaving no written records, few letters, but a large number of paintings most of which are in private collections.
One of his best known paintings, which won much critical acclaim, is a large portrait of fellow artist Stanley GARDINER on the quayside at Lamorna Cove. This painting belongs to Penlee House and is frequently exhibited there.
Article prepared by David Bradfield for M Hardie (2009) Artists/Newlyn & West Cornwall.
D. E. or D. G.? Newspaper copy unclear. St Ives Exhibitor. See Dora Elizabeth WEBB
The architect visited Newlyn first as early as 1900, when he purchased two paintings from NAG while staying at the Queens Hotel, a painting by Miss L FLEMMING, An Autumn Evening, and The Little Wood by Lamorna BIRCH.
In 1904, writing from Hanover Terrace, he wrote to thank Stanhope FORBES for sending several of Birch's paintings up to him in London, from which selection he had chosen one, The Brook (?unclear). He commented that his wife was sorry to have missed Mrs FORBES [in London] the previous day, and that he hoped the construction of their house [Higher Faughan] would go on successfully.
She is first mentioned in a review of Show Days in 1923, and in 1924 exhibited at Skiber War Vor Studio. Her exhibits in 1924 were given three paragraphs in the detailed St Ives Times review, and some of her work was termed 'characteristic', indicating that it had been noticed previously. Amongst the named titles was Salaam in decorative tempera work, depicting two brass figures of elephants, a difficult subject skilfully painted, against a bright curtain; two small porcelain Japanese figures below look up at the Mahout. Another was A Goddess in Ecstasy, the subject being a brass lacquered goddess against an oriental background. Yet another depicted a bronze fish against a madonna-blue background. She does not appear to have been living in St Ives when STISA was formed, and her involvement was limited. She is recorded as a member in 1932 when she was living at West Malvern.
According to Jennie Shelley, his great great grandniece who lives in New Zealand, Webb was born William James Webb on 13 July 1830 at Redruth, Cornwall, and baptized on the 23rd of that month at St Austell, Cornwall. One of eight children, he was the son of Rev Samuel Webb (Wesleyan minister) and Sarah. Webb married Besse[?] sometime before 1871, and they had 2 children, Wilfred and Ethel. He was living on the Isle of Wight in 1856, and in the 1901 census William (aged 70) and his wife Besse (aged 52) were living at 4 Marlborough Rd, Ealing, Middlesex, his occupation described as Artist.
His brother Samuel WEBB was a pottery manufacturer in Stoke on Trent (Webb and Walters, also Webb and Co), and William's mother came from generations of pottery manufacturers. Webb himself illustrated many Bible stories for children and poetry books. William's son Wilfred Mark WEBB OBE wrote books on nature study, which his father illustrated. Wilfred wrote Heritage of Dress, and two volumes of Eton Nature Study (text books for Eton College). William's illustrations of insects in the text books are in very great detail, and some of his pictures can be found on the internet: his picture The Collared Thief can be found on many poster sites. Art.com lists many of his paintings that have come up for auction. "He must have done over 30 painting in his lifetime. Somewhere in NZ there is an original painting done by William J Webbe of two of my relatives. The painting has been damaged in a fire, but myself and many of my relatives have copies of it."
Frankie Webb moved from Bristol in 2008 to settle in St Just, in Penwith. Her work has been shown in Bristol, Bath and Coventry and in Cornwall she has exhibited at Morvah Schoolhouse Gallery. Together with Gabrielle HAWKES, she produced the book 'Between the Ocean and the Sky', published in 2012.
In 2022 Frankie Webb left Cornwall to settle near Bristol.
William E Webb was a Manchester artist best known for his marine paintings. Colleague George Bednar has found two Cornish paintings (2014) at the BADA fair in London.
A potter since 1972, John Webb creates salt-glazed stoneware pots from a studio in Lostwithiel. Although largely self-taught, he gained valuable experience at the start of his career in Michael Cardew's Wenfordbridge pottery. In 2012 Webb abandoned hand-painted earthenware in favour of the salt-glazed technique, which was discovered in the sixteenth century. He uses a wood-fired kiln which adds a random speckled finish to his pieces, made from local St Agnes clay. These practical domestic vessels, characterised by simple scraffito patterning, are most attractive.
Webb sells his work locally, mainly through the Cornwall Crafts Association at Trelissick and Trelowarren galleries.
Jenny Webbe was born in Hull, Yorkshire. After a Foundation Course at Tameside College, Ashton-under-Lyne, she completed a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at Manchester Metropolitan University, followed later by an MA in Art & Design at Sheffield Hallam University. She lectured in Fine Art at Tameside College from 1985 to 2003, when she moved to Cornwall. Alongside her painting practice, she has in recent years turned her talents to ceramics.
The artist was born in Leipzig, and studied with Wilhelm Krause in Berlin. In 1856 he went to Paris to continue his studies and exhibited at the Salon. He achieved an Honorable mention in 1861, 1863 and 1889 in the International Exhibition. In 1900 he was awarded a Bronze Medal, and in 1901 he exhibited in Munich.
David Tovey, in viewing a 2005 sale at Sotheby's (Olympia) noted a painting credited to Weber of St Michael's Mount with fishing and sailing schooners in the Mount's harbour. Other known titles of this artist, are Dover Sands (1871) and On the Kentish Coast (1873), and also some continental coastal scenes referred to by Brooke-Hart. Speculatively it is possible that he came along the south coast, painting the views that he found appealing. His presence for an extended period is not established through any literature found as yet.
Martin Webster is a painter who lives in the Mounts Bay area of Cornwall.
The artist was born in Leeds, Yorkshire and studied art there at the Jacob Kramer College of Art, followed by Cardiff College of Art and Reading University (MA). For a decade (1976-86) he worked in London and was one of the founder members of the Chisenhale Studios.
Having done some teaching in Falmouth, he moved to the county in 1987, becoming a Senior Lecturer at the Falmouth College of Art. From Falmouth he exhibits in London and around the country. In 2002 he described his Black Circle Society series of paintings as 'a gathering of voices murmuring, arguing, sharing, interrupting, listening - a constant exchange.'
The artist studied at the Slade School under Poynter and Legros, and exhibited from 1877 at the RA, in the London galleries and elsewhere. Successively his working addresses were London (1880), Winchelsea, Sussex (1900) and Hastings (1910).
However, he was a signatory to the Glanville letter on building development in St Ives in 1898, indicating residence there for some period. He had worked in oils on classical themes until 1897 when he converted solely to watercolour; this may have been the point he reached when arriving in Cornwall.
Linda Weir was born in Manchester and obtained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at Manchester Metropolitan University in 1982. This was followed by a PGCE in Art Education. She was then awarded an MA in Fine Art from Nottingham Trent University. Her many years of teaching experience culminated in positions at the University of Nottingham and Manchester Metropolitan University. She has also studied transactional analysis, counselling and psychosynthesis. Influences include Van Gogh and Picasso, and American literature.
Linda began working in Cornwall from 1978 and settled in St Ives in 2000, where she paints mainly in oils 'en plein air'. Her work has been exhibited widely across the UK. A review of her paintings at the Castlefield Gallery in Manchester drew attention to 'landscapes and domestic interiors into a kaleidoscopic maze of luscious colour. Weir manages to arrange exquisite colours in lovely visual harmonies while avoiding slipping off into the shallow pleasantries of decoration. Her seascapes are particularly spectacular.'
She is a regular exhibitor at STISA open shows.
Born in New York to an American mother and a Scottish father (from Lanark), the artist studied in the US, Germany and England. Her mother was the artist Nina May WEIR-LEWIS, who died and was buried in Lelant, Cornwall just before WWII. Helen had one sister, and the two children were brought to Europe by their mother after their father died.
As an adult, she was permanently based in London but kept Rose Lodge Studio in St Ives and stayed at St Ives Bay Hotel during summers.
Helen worked in clay and bronze, with a particular interest in reflections and textures. She was also an occasional exhibitor of ceramics (Lanhams 1913). At the 1915 Show Day she exhibited a clay model of a rose bowl, which was complimented. Independent financially, Helen was well-liked in St Ives circles and was a good friend of the LANYON family.
In 1933, she took over as Acting President of the Society of Women Artists from Dorothea SHARP.
An artist, author and researcher, Carol Weir was born in Buckinghamshire. After taking an HND in textile design at Bedford College, she moved to Cornwall in 2015 and studied at Cornwall College Camborne. Subsequently she graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) in Contemporary Creative Practice from Plymouth University. In 2018/19 she was awarded the Krowji Graduate Studio Award. In 2021 she obtained a Distinction for her MA in Illustration Authorial Practice at Falmouth University.
Carol is currently based in St Austell. Her work investigates issues surrounding the transience of life, memory and place, using a variety of media and techniques. As artist-in-residence at Wheal Martyn Clay Works, Cornwall's china clay history museum, near St Austell, Carol began an exploration of the Martyn family who founded the china clay pit, and her work continues to focus on the local china clay industry.
Her curatorial projects, both at Wheal Martyn, include Clay Journeys - From Cornwall to the World (2018) and Engineering the Earth (2019).
Living in Cornwall and London, the mother of Helen Stuart WEIR is first referred to in a Review of Show Day 1915; in 1922 mother and daughter held a joint show at Lanham's. She exhibited at a number of the leading London Societies, particularly the ROI and SWA, and had her works Delphiniums in Somerset and A May Morning reproduced as prints. When in St Ives she worked with Helen at Rose Lodge Studio, and contributed to the first STISA show at the Porthmeor Gallery - although she was not as regular a contributer as her daughter was.
Nina May Weir-Lewis was an expatriate American artist. She was born on 11
Aug. 1856 in South Butler, New York, the fourth of six children born to the
Rev. Harlow B. Skeel (1824-1909) and his wife Lucy L. Deuel Skeel
(1824-1905). Her father was a much-beloved minister of the Methodist
Episcopal Church who served as pastor in churches throughout New York State.
Nina was originally named Sarina in honor of a maternal aunt, but she changed
her name in early adulthood. The 1880 Federal Census finds the 23-year-old
Nina in her parents' household in Pulaski, N.Y., giving her occupation as
landscape painter. She also gave painting lessons. In May 1881 the Pulaski
newspaper reported the following:
Miss Nina Skeel, of this village, who has been in New York city during the
winter, will shortly leave for Europe. This talented young lady is an artist
of no little repute, orders for her paintings coming in about as fast as they
can be completed. So far as it is known to us, there is something in Miss
Skeel's career peculiarly encouraging to students generally; for, as we
understand it, very much of her proficiency and success in the art is due to
her own energy and perseverance. We recall a conversation had with the young
lady some years ago in which the desirability of a tour in Europe was brought
forward and lightly discussed. Said she: "It seems a long way off, and a
great undertaking, but others have gone with light purses, and perhaps where
there's a will there's a way." Time has tested the truth of the remark, and
the young lady's friends will rejoice in this fulfillment of her daydream.
["Pulaski Democrat" (Pulaski, N.Y.), Mar. 24, 1881, 3.]
Nina was twice married. In1882 she married John Weir (1856-1892), a native of
Lanark, Scotland, by whom she had two daughters: Frances Underhill
(1883-1932) and Helen Stuart (1885-1969). John Weir was a naturalized U.S.
citizen and a successful grain commission merchant with the firm Weir &
Hallett in New York. As his career prospered, the family moved from New York
to the affluent borough of North Plainfield, N.J. After John Weir's death
from consumption (tuberculosis) Nina married on July 2, 1898 David Lewis
(1835-1901), a widower and cashier of the Ilion National Bank, Ilion,
Herkimer Co., N.Y. Lewis died in Ilion in 1901. Unfortunately, this
short-lived second marriage was not a success. The Utica newspaper reported
in 1907 that "about a year and a half before Mr. Lewis's death his wife, it
is said, left him" ["Utica Herald-Dispatch" (Utica, N.Y.), Dec. 27, 1907].
The 1900 Federal Census listed Nina Lewis in N. Plainfield as head of a
household that included her daughters and a servant, but no Mr. Lewis.
In 1902 and 1906 Nina and her daughters traveled to Europe, spending time in
Germany before settling in England sometime after 1909. (Scandal continued to
dog Nina. In 1907, an attorney in Berlin claimed she absconded, leaving more
than $3,000 in unpaid advances and legal fees. During the subsequent
litigation the court attached Nina's New Jersey home.)
Though Nina began painting at an early age, it was in England that she
embarked on a career as a serious artist. She became associated with the
thriving artist colony at St. Ives in Cornwall. Unfortunately, her paintings
are not judged very highly these days. Nevertheless, what Nina may have
lacked in talent she more than compensated for in dogged determination and a
rare independence of spirit