Cornerstone No. 184, page 17
the generally‘ underprivileged’ came to the fore. Was she influenced by L. S. Lowry? Is a question often put – I think not as Eardley’ s works were put in her mind by northern Italians, not folk from the‘ Northern Powerhouse’. However, we now take up the story back in Glasgow.
This is where Joan set up a studio in the region of Townhead – a much denigrated part of the city, but one which inspired GS 60 to paint( and proclaim) the existence of the squalid living conditions of many of those in the mighty city of‘ St. Mungo’. The failing shipyards of Port Glasgow became a focal point for this artist but the story does not( unfortunately) end there. Enter Catterline a charming fishing village near Stonehaven where Joan was taken to invest her time, and later her money, in the picturesque surroundings of this final inspiration to her artistic talent. The cottage she bought had no electricity, no running water and no little of anything else; but its situation brought inspiration to our artist – seascapes( with variations on the weather), landscapes( with changing seasons) and many views of Catterline where she worked out-doors( an activity that broke the relationship between Gauguin and van Gogh...) but that’ s another story and ours has to end here.
Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley, in 1955, was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, becoming a full member in 1963. Perhaps a glittering future waited – who’ s to see? Breast cancer was diagnosed and the rest is bad history. Our subject refused treatment and, despite terrible pain continued her work – our legacy. You may see them( her works) at the Scottish National Gallery of modern Art and at the Glasgow museums each of which exhibit coastal scenes such as not to mention figurative works such as
( not to be missed...). If you wish to see more of her masters, tune in to the Talbot Rice Gallery( Edinburgh) and the Royal Scottish Academy, not to mention the galleries above listed.
Joan Eardley died on August 16th 1963.
Deadline for the next edition of Cornerstone: 12th March 2017