The influence of Edward Bawden is clear in the work of Sheila Robinson (1925-1988). After studying at Nottingham Art School she was a student of Bawden at the Royal College of Art. She was married to another artist, Bernard Cheese and lived in Thaxted in Essex. Cheese too was a well-known printmaker, mainly of lithographs. After their marriage ended, Sheila moved to Great Bardfield. This Essex village became a nationally important centre for artists in the 1950s and was home to numerous well-known artists, including Edward Bawden, Eric Ravilious and John Aldridge. Sheila Robinson was an active member of this group although, surprisingly, not as widely known as some others.
Robinson has created some fantastic prints and the above is an excellent example of that. She made linocuts and also created prints with a technique she developed by herself, using cardboard. She was also an illustrator of many books and a teacher at the Royal College of Art.
This print entitled ‘Two Houses in Thaxted’ is one of my favourite prints by her. It dates from 1970 and was printed in a very small edition of only 30. In many ways this charming print is just as brilliant as many of Bawden’s work. Here two very old houses are depicted. The crooked lines accentuate the age of the buildings as if to harken back to a more idyllic time, but with her bold choice of colours, the unusual composition and technique used, Robinson ensures this is a thoroughly modern print.
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