Beryl Cook's New York

Beryl Cook, OBE (1926 - 2008) was an English artist best known for her original and instantly recognizable paintings which she did not start exhibiting until she was 51 years old. Often comical, her works pictured people whom she encountered in everyday life, including people enjoying themselves in pubs, girls shopping or out on a hen night, drag queen shows or a family picnicking by the seaside or abroad. She had no formal training and did not take up painting until her thirties. She was a shy and private person, and in her art often depicted the flamboyant and extrovert characters she would like to be. The works in this book were done after she made a three week trip to New York City on vacation. The thirty pictures show her phenomenal visual memory, and her wonderful grasp of the comic in everyday life. Each picture is accompanied with her own running commentary.