Biography
Cicely Mary Barker (28 June 1895 – 16 February 1973) was the illustrator who created the famous Flower Fairies, in the shape of ethereal smiling children with butterfly wings. As a child, she was greatly influenced by the works of the illustrator Kate Greenaway. Her principal influence was the artwork of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
In 1908, when Cicely was 13, her father enrolled her at the Croydon Art Society, where they both exhibited work. She also enrolled in a Correspondence Art course which she continued until 1918. At 16, Cicely was elected a life member of Croydon Art Society, the youngest person ever to receive this honor.
In 1911, when she was 15 her father submitted some of her work to Raphael Tuck, the stationery printer, who bought four of her pictures for greeting cards. From this time onwards, she was able to sell her work to magazines, to postcard and greeting card manufacturers, and later to book publishers.
She worked from life for both her figures and flowers, with a careful eye for accurate detail. Her work is an elegant example of highly realized imaginative realism.
Nationality:
British
Dates:
June 28, 1895 – February 16, 1973
Occupation:
Painter
Schools attended:
Croydon Art Society
Student of:
Teacher of: