20th Century Artists Beryl Cook and Doug Hyde
A lot has happened in the 20th Century, moon landings, the birth of rock and roll and the civil rights movement. We, the human race have a lot of different achievements we can be proud of. We don’t always make the right decisions, we as a species have been really creative in all areas of our lives whether it is art or technology.
Art came to life in the 20th Century as it became thrust into the mainstream as more regular people became interested in art and as many couldn’t afford originals they wanted prints. Previously art was reserved for royalty and the prosperous, where as in the 20th Century art became more accessible and more acceptable for normal people.
Beryl Cook was an artist hailing from Plymouth, Devon in the UK who sadly past away earlier on in 2008. She was originally from Surrey and spent time travelling as a performer before working in fashion and then settling down in Plymouth with her husband John Cook. Her art is well known for featuring images of real life and the people of Plymouth. They would make colourful Beryl Cook prints that focused on the things everyday people do, such as waiting at a bus stop or dustbin men collecting the rubbish.
Doug Hyde was born in 1972 and he has made big waves in the art community for a reasonably young man as the BBC named him the UK’s Best Selling Artist. His technique is fairly simple, his inspiration comes from the emotions he has felt in certain situations and this is what has made Doug Hyde prints so popular. As well as prints he is also a respected sculptor, producing sculptures that have the same themes and often feature similar characters featured in his canvas artwork.