Lucy M Wiles - Large oil

LUCY MARY WILES (MULLINS)
Born 1918 – Johannesburg, South Africa

Lucy Mary Wiles (Mullins) was trained as a nurse and as an artist; she was greatly influenced by Nils Andersen and Walter Gilbert Wiles. Although never having formally studied art, she made regular Saturday morning visits to the Johannesburg School of Art and to Barnato Park School.The earlier works of Lucy Wiles are signed with the name Lucy Mullins, and pre-date her marriage in 1953.

Lucy’s subjects were the Xhosa people and she spent hours in Transkei river beds and at trading stores while she painted her \'native studies\' or portraits.  She was often referred to as "e\'photo" by the locals. Her work ethic was stringent: "If you don\'t find something to paint by 10 a.m. stop the car and do what you see", she would paint friezes of the Xhosa people late into the night. Artist Constance Greaves sometimes painted with Lucy and her daughter, Jane Wiles.

Exhibitions:
• Selected Exhibitions 1959: Wiles Group Exhibition, Pieter Wenning Gallery, Johannesburg.
• 1961: Solo exhibition, Pieter Wenning Gallery, Johannesburg.
• Numerous solo shows at The Gallery, Leisure Isle, Knysna.

Collections:
• Queenstown Art Gallery, Eastern Cape
• William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley

Education:
Natal Technical College, under Prof Cecil Todd