Mavis Blackburn ‘Garden Shed, Upton Hall’

Mavis Blackburn’s paintings have been firm favourites amongst visitors to our Facebook and Twitter pages. In March 2021 we ran a public poll for the public to select which of her “place” paintings – her landscapes, town views and everyday locations – was their favourite. ‘Garden Shed, Upton Hall’ was the winning painting.

Comments from voters about this painting included:

Maureen Chadwick: “This reminds me so much of my childhood, nothing is thrown away as it could be useful sometime in the future and so, so interesting to an imaginative child.”

Sue Quigley: “Because of the mundane ordinariness of the subject, and that I was taught by Mavis in that very establishment, so it holds double significance for me.”

Phil Cross: “In this painting the artist has recognised and captured the beauty and interest in what would on the face of it be an everyday mundane scene and created a thoughtful piece of work.”

Two contributors, Patricia and Liza, commented that this painting reminded them of being pupils at Upton Hall and being taught art by ‘Miss Blackburn’.

Mavis Blackburn (1923-2005) was born and lived all her life in West Kirby. She trained under Will C. Penn at Liverpool School of Art and he proved a great influence and a mentor for her. She became a teacher herself, for many years at Upton Hall. She became an important member of the Wirral Society of Arts, Deeside Art Group and the Royal Cambrian Academy. She worked in many different genres, and we hope to bring

View all Visitor Favourites selections here.