Dame Ethel Walker ARA

1861 - 1951

Born in Edinburgh, Walker was educated in London and attended the Ridley School of Art, where she met her first partner, Clare Christian, and Putney Schoosl of Art, before studying under Fred Brown at Westminster School of Art, following him to the Slade. While there she also took evening classes with Walter Sickert developing a British Impressionist technique. Although she pained landscapes and still lifes, Walker is best known for her portraits and paintings of women, often nude, usually seeking to convey their individuality and mood. The first female member of the New Engliah Art Club in 1900, Walker was elected an Associate the Royal Academy in 1940. Walker, who was widely acknowledged as a foremost lesbian artist, was at the heart of cultural circles in London for much of her long career, receiving much recognition, exhibiitons and representation in important collections.. She owned a cottage overlooking the sea in Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, where she also painted extensively.