Amy Elton - Self Portrait
China Clay Landscape 02 - Amy Elton
China Clay Landsape 03 - Amy Elton
amy elton
Arts, Painting and Printing
1904 - 1989
Suggested by John Macadam
Arts, Painting, Printing and Diamond-point engraved glass
Suggested by John Macadam
John says:
“Amy Elton won a scholarship to the Royal Academy Schools in 1925, winning the figure drawing medal in 1926. She then block-printed her designs which she sold to fashion houses, such as Fortnum and Mason. In 1934-35 Amy was head of art at St Paul’s School for Girls, collaborating with Gustav Holst on musical productions, and teaching part-time at Hammersmith School of Art and Craft. In 1934 she had enough money to go on holiday to the Aran Islands to paint, returning in the following two summers to run a guest-house, and paint. In 1937-38 she studied in Paris, also working as a model and in a marionette theatre. Amy married and lived abroad, in India and Kenya, 1938-53. She was an official war artist in India, 1942-45, drawing and painting military personnel, and designing public information material.
Amy first visited Cornwall in 1938. After returning to the UK and living in Devon, she made frequent working visits to the China Clay country around St Austell, working up her colour sketches back in Devon. She was invited by John Stengelhofen, first director of Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, to have the inaugural show there in 1977. She had many other solo shows in the University of Exeter's spaces and in the Gulbenkian in Canterbury. Group exhibitions included, Royal Academy, Royal West of England Academy, Kenn Group, and the touring exhibition 'New Painting in Devon' sponsored by the Arts Council. As well as block-printing, she painted and engraved glass with diamond points. She taught part-time in art colleges, a women’s prison, and schools.
Amy Elton was my Mother. Because of crippling migraines she did not go to school until she was 13, followed by art school at 16, and the Royal Academy at 21. She was effectively an autodidact: when I became interested in fossils as a young kid she learnt geology to help me. I have many drawings and paintings of me sitting for my Mother which meant I learnt to be a good (paid!) model for art groups/classes - a change from earning money doing farm work and gardening! She left a 33 thousand word memoir of her life.”