A woman on Wednesday

Last week I was fortunate to be able to visit the St Edmundsbury Museum where the Sybil Andrews’ archive is stored.  

I had done a little research but had only the bare bones.  Sybil Andrews was born in Bury St Edmunds 1898 and died in British Columbia 1992.  She began her career working for the Standard Motor Company in Bury St Edmunds as a torch welder. I understand that she did become an aircraft engineer in Bristol during the First World War and much later during the Second World War she was welding warships in Southampton docks. However, during this time she studied art part-time through a home correspondence course. She was unable to go to Art School then as she hoped; she was one of five children she was expected to work for her living. She worked hard getting up very early to do life study drawings of herself. In her book the Artist’s Kitchen she complains about the cold but goes on to say that it stood her in good stead when she was able to go to London to study.  She also earned an income while teaching at the Portland School in Bury St Edmunds.    

She come in contact with Cyril Power (1872-1951)  about this time, he was 20 years older and was to become a very close friend and major influence on her development as a mature artist. Cyril Power was an architect, living nearby with his wife and family.  He met Sybil when she was struggling over a drawing of a house  in the street.  He offered to give her tuition and so began a partnership that was to ‘set Sybil on a course for the rest of her life’

They went on regular expeditions around the town. Cyril would set very difficult buildings beside twisting, turning streets.  Sybil proved to be a good student and in time they were able to have neighbouring studios in a very comfortable and elegant part of town with pleasant outlooks on all sides.

It was from this studio that Sybil Andrews organised her first public show while she was not yet 23 years old.  Also, not yet developed her eye for shapes and rhythms and patterns of things …

to be continued.