Devon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1260" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/The-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg" alt="Beryl Cook painting " class="wp-image-77708" style="aspect-ratio:0.7936507936507936;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/The-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/The-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-635x800.jpg 635w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/The-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-794x1000.jpg 794w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/The-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-768x968.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Lockyer-Tavern by Beryl Cook / Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>Super-exciting news for art lovers! The Box Plymouth’s landmark exhibition of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theboxplymouth.com/blog/press-release/the-box-announces-landmark-beryl-cook-exhibition-for-2026" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beryl Cook</a>&nbsp;artworks marking the 100-year anniversary of the Plymouth artist’s birth opens this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theboxplymouth.com/events/exhibitions/beryl-cook-pride-and-joy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pride and Joy</a>&nbsp;will be on display from <strong>24 Jan to 31 May</strong> 2026. It&#8217;s already generated overwhelming interest, so much so that The Box are encouraging people to book tickets before they visit. Tickets are free and can be booked now via&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.theboxplymouth.com/collections/beryl-cook-exhibition-tickets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Exhibition Tickets &#8211; Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy – The Box</a>. Get booking! In the meantime, here&#8217;s the art curator who&#8217;s putting the show together, Terah Walkup, to tell us more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hi-terah-tell-us-what-s-your-role-at-the-box">Hi Terah, tell us &#8211; what&#8217;s your role at The Box? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Terah-Walkup-Art-Curator-The-Box.jpg" alt="Terah Walkup, art curator at The Box Plymouth " class="wp-image-77707" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Terah-Walkup-Art-Curator-The-Box.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Terah-Walkup-Art-Curator-The-Box-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Terah-Walkup-Art-Curator-The-Box-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Terah-Walkup-Art-Curator-The-Box-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I oversee the fine and decorative art collections, develop exhibitions and support art collection displays of which The Box has a significant number. We have a collection of Newlyn art; a garment collection dating back 18th century, and some of the oldest surviving images of Plymouth going back to the 1600s. Those are not on display because they&#8217;re very fragile, as you can imagine! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-give-us-the-basics-on-beryl-cook">Give us the basics on Beryl Cook.</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="958" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Window-Dresser-II-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg" alt="Window-Dresser-II-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-202" class="wp-image-83225" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Window-Dresser-II-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Window-Dresser-II-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-800x766.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Window-Dresser-II-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-768x736.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Window Dresser II by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>She was born in Surrey in 1926, and moved to Plymouth in 1968. Her first exhibition was at the former Plymouth Arts Centre in 1975 which led to a major feature in the <em>Sunday Times</em> and launched her career. She was known for creating vibrant, warm-hearted paintings and was awarded an OBE for services to the arts in 1995.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-her-impact">What was her impact?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="922" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Back-Bar-of-the-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg" alt="Back Bar of the Lockyer Tavern by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025" class="wp-image-77714" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Back-Bar-of-the-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Back-Bar-of-the-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-800x492.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Back-Bar-of-the-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-1000x615.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Back-Bar-of-the-Lockyer-Tavern-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-768x472.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Back Bar of the Lockyer Tavern by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>Of course, there&#8217;s the nostalgia for the everyday people, pubs and parks she captured in the 70s, 80s and 90s. But there&#8217;s a younger generation coming to her work who appreciate her celebration of joy and body positivity. In today&#8217;s language, she would be called an ally of LGBTQ+ culture. She loved the night life and local pubs, including The Lockyer Tavern. It had an area at the back where men from the local queer community would meet &#8211; a safe space in today&#8217;s terms. She counted them among her friends and she painted them, complete with the patterned carpet, bar and furniture of the time. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-kind-of-artist-was-beryl-cook">What kind of artist was Beryl Cook?</h2>



<p>She was a self-taught painter&nbsp;and described herself as a housewife. She&nbsp;began painting in her thirties with her son John, as a way to entertain him, and ended up loving it herself. In the early days, she would paint on whatever she could get her hands on, including a roller blind, bits of found wood and even kitchen trays. When she discovered they weren&#8217;t the best materials to preserve the paint, she moved on to paint on board. She took daily walks on the Hoe with her dog, and found the everyday things she saw amusing and fascinating. Hers was a very visual memory. Cook had also been a showgirl and model, so she was very interested in fashion, clothing and design.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-will-be-on-display">What will be on display?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1760" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg" alt="Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025" class="wp-image-77710" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-455x800.jpg 455w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-568x1000.jpg 568w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-768x1352.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Bingo-by-Beryl-Cook.-Acquired-with-assistance-from-the-VA-Purchase-Grant-Fund-and-the-Art-Fund.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-873x1536.jpg 873w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bingo by Beryl Cook / Acquired with assistance from the VA Purchase Grant Fund and the Art Fund. Courtesy ofwww.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>Over 80 works, incorporating those in The Box&#8217; collection, which now includes a new acquisition we&#8217;re very excited about called <em>Bingo</em>. Other institutions and private collections are contributing, and The Beryl Cook Estate who have been amazing to work with.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-there-a-theme">Is there a theme?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1107" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Sailors-and-Seagulls-by-Beryl-Cook.jpg" alt="Sailors and Seagulls by Beryl Cook " class="wp-image-83229" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Sailors-and-Seagulls-by-Beryl-Cook.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Sailors-and-Seagulls-by-Beryl-Cook-800x590.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Sailors-and-Seagulls-by-Beryl-Cook-1000x738.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/Sailors-and-Seagulls-by-Beryl-Cook-768x567.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sailors and Seagulls by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>We decided not to create a chronological story, as this has been done before. She was a more than just a chronicler of everyday life, she was also a subtle commentator. Although not overtly political, she was painting at a time of great political change in Britain, documenting life then as she saw it. <strong>Identity and Representation</strong>&nbsp;will look at Cook&#8217;s radical approach to her subjects and her unique style of self-portraiture. <strong>Chronicles of Everyday Life</strong>&nbsp;will explore Cook&#8217;s phenomenal observational skills and attention to detail as she documented working-class spaces and everyday life in a changing Britain. <strong>Process and Practice</strong>&nbsp;will highlight Cook’s meticulous research and the way she actively mined different media in ways that feel remarkably contemporary. This section will also include rarely seen sculptures and textile work that demonstrate her versatility beyond painting.&nbsp;<strong>Influences and Impact</strong>&nbsp;will show how her work was inspired by and referenced a broad range of visual culture &#8211; from popular postcards to historical painters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-do-you-choose-what-to-include">How do you choose what to include?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1994" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg" alt="Beach at Looe by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025" class="wp-image-77716" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-401x800.jpg 401w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-502x1000.jpg 502w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-768x1531.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/07/Beach-at-Looe-by-Beryl-Cook.-Courtesy-of-www.ourberylcook.com-©-John-Cook-2025-770x1536.jpg 770w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Beach at Looe by Beryl Cook. Courtesy of www.ourberylcook.com © John Cook 2025</figcaption></figure>



<p>We want to create something more unexpected, so among the paintings, there are also her sketches and furniture. She was keen on needlework, so you will be able to see some of her cushion designs and household items she painted, including a toilet seat and a cinema seat she salvaged from a Plymouth theatre. She had a point and shoot camera, and kept albums delineated by subject, such as pubs, or foliage, which she used as source material. Her photography played a big part of her practice. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-there-a-standout-piece-for-you">Is there a standout piece for you?</h2>



<p>It&#8217;s always so hard to pick just one! I&#8217;m looking forward to seeing artworks that haven&#8217;t been seen displayed side-by-side before, especially the two paintings of the Lockyer Tavern. <em>Shopping with Robin</em> is a fun, crowded local scene, and <em>Plymouth Market</em> which depicts a woman pushing a shopping trolley with one hand and a pram with the other, wearing an amazing pair of platform shoes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-there-be-any-special-events-or-talks">Will there be any special events or talks?</h2>



<p>Yes! We will be programming a whole day of talks, events, workshops and tours for our Super Saturdays on 7 Feb and 7 Mar.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-any-nice-merch">Any nice merch? </h2>



<p>Definitely! Beryl Cook merch is very popular, so we have worked with her Estate  to produce a whole new offer, now available in our onsite shop and also online at&nbsp;<a href="https://shop.theboxplymouth.com/collections/beryl-cook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beryl Cook – The Box</a>.</p>



<p><strong><em>Don&#8217;t miss! <a href="https://www.theboxplymouth.com/events/exhibitions/beryl-cook-pride-and-joy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beryl Cook: Pride and Joy</a> is on at The Box Plymouth from 24 Jan &#8211; 31 May 2026.</em></strong></p>



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