Joan Eardley (1921 – 1963)

Biography: Born in Sussex, Joan Eardley studied briefly at Goldsmiths’ College, London (1938 – 1939), and then at the Glasgow School of Art (1940 – 1943). Eardley was deeply affected by the life and atmosphere of the slums of Glasgow. For her subject-matter she concentrated on street life, young children and the elderly, blending realism and compassion but without sentimentality. In 1951 she discovered the small fishing village of Catterline on the North East coast of Scotland, was captivated by the place and moved there. She was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1955 and a full Academician in 1963.