Beryl Cook (1926-2008)
Artist whose works are highly recognisable, with many depicting Plymouth life. She moved to Plymouth in 1968 to run a guest house on the Hoe. A largely untrained painter, with a keen eye for humanity, she painted scenes of everyday life that she saw around her. The first exhibition of her work in Plymouth was in 1975, at Plymouth Arts Centre. She was awarded the OBE in 1995, for her services to art. Her work is exuberant, and accessible, accounting for her popularity during her lifetime and after it. Her identification with Plymouth gave a different perspective on the city and its inhabitants.