Sheila Fell

Sheila Fell RA (20 July 1931 – 15 December 1979) was an English artist. She was born at Aspatria, Cumberland in 1931 and although she lived in London for the greater part of her life, she devoted her career to painting and drawing places close to her place of birth. The Cumberland landscape would always remain her chief influence, inspiration and theme.

Sheila Fell was born into a poor household at Aspatria in 1931, the only child of John (Jack) and Anne Fell. Her father was a coalminer who worked at the Brayton Domain Colliery about a mile and a half from Aspatria. Her mother was a seamstress. By 1936 her father was out of work, but later found work in Whitehaven. Whilst working at another pit in Siddick, some time later, he had both legs crushed in a roof fall. After his convalescnce, he returned to work for a year, but then gave up work altogether.

At the age of six Fell contracted diphtheria, but her mother refused to have her admitted to hospital, instead caring for her at home.

After her early education at Richmond Hill School, Aspatria, Fell gained a scholarship allowing her to attend the Nelson Thomlinson School in Wigton, where the teacher responsible for art, Mrs Campbell-Taylor, recognised her ability and encouraged her to go to art college. At the age of 16 she enrolled at the Carlisle School of Art (1947–1949), then housed in Tullie House. She later described this experience as a 'dismal disaster'. She explained: “They said I would never make a painter and should do textile design.” After rejecting their advice she enrolled at Saint Martin's School of Art (1949–1951) where she studied under Roland Vivian Pitchforth and John Napper. She gained her National Diploma in Design at the age of 21, and then stayed on for a further twelve months to complete a post graduate course. Fell augmented the grant received from Cumberland County Council by working in a night club and also at the National Gallery. During her college years she exhibited her work in the Young Contemporaries Show in 1952 and 1953. After leaving college, she worked for a while as a freelance painter during the day, did head modelling, and worked in a café at night.

...
Wikipedia