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Gaynor Chapman Mid century Artist

January 22, 2025

There are so many fantastic artists from the 1950’s and 60’s who have very little presence online. I feel this is a great shame and that their work should be seen and appreciated by new admirers, it’s always an aim of mine to help promote and reveal these illustrators who’s work I discover and admire. One of those is Gaynor Chapman. She was born in 1935, she attended the Epsom School of Art and was one of the ‘bright young things’ at the RCA in the early 1950’s, where she studied illustration and graphics.

The combination of these two disciplines is very evident in her work, which has a deliberate, compartmentalised graphic structure, emphasised by the use of a visible, irregular black outline. Alongside posters, she also created many book covers and illustrations for other people’s stories.

Some of her most stunning pieces were commissioned by London Transport for its poster series.

She also produced projects for BP, COI, Shell, ICI and Air France, and she created a large mural for the ship SS Dover.

Photo thanks to Airnostalgie

Most of her work appeared in the 1960s/1970s, when she taught graphics at the Brighton College of Art and continued to paint.

She died in 2000, aged 65.

If anyone knows anymore information about Gaynor Chapman or has images you would like to share, please get in touch and I would be glad to do just that. Thank you. Thanks to Mike Dempsey and his wonderful ‘Graphic Journey blog’ for the information used in this post.

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3 Comments leave one →
  1. Ivan Camilli's avatar
    Ivan Camilli permalink
    January 24, 2025 7:29 am

    Thank you!

    • Jed Johnson's avatar
      Jed Johnson permalink
      January 24, 2025 3:14 pm

      Thank You for shining a kind light on this refreshing art work.

      I have ordered a copy of the Luck Child (illustrated by Gaynor).

      I always enjoy reading and viewing your publication Fishink.

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