Alice C BUTLER
Born in Bromley, Kent, Alice studied at St Albans School of Art. Her landscape and flower pictures were considered masterpieces of the miniaturist's art, and in 1933 she was living in Malmesbury, where she ran a studio-shop.
Later she moved to Perranporth, Cornwall, joining STISA. At some point (dates and publishers unknown) in the series of postcard designs now known as the CORNISH LITANY POSTCARDS Alice Butler designed at least three, Pisky Place, Polperro, The Lucky Pisky Well, Polperro and the card entitled Moonlight Frolics at Polperro, all reprinted in Meister's book of her collection (2012). One of her postcard designs, Polperro from Chapel Rock, is currently available from the Millston Card Co. Her skill in sketching is evident in all of these.
Together with Mabel Maud DOUGLAS and Mrs L STANTLAND ROBERTS, she formed a miniaturist tradition within STISA. She married her husband, Maurice Bizley, in 1938. In the name of Alice C Bizley she wrote and illustrated The Slate Figures of Cornwall, a significant contribution to Cornish visual and cultural history.
From the 5th of April until 27 October, the Perranzabuloe Museum are featuring her watercolours, sketches and memorabilia, describing her as a dedicated artist and Cornish historian who was an early supporter of Perranzabuloe Museum Trust. The exhibition will be held at Oddfellows Hall, Ponsmere Road, Perranporth (http://www.perranzabuloemuseum.co.uk/).
media
Painter of miniatures, landscape and flowers in watercolour, postcard illustrator, book illustrator, historian
works and access
Works include: illustrations for Friendly Retreat, the story of the Parish of St Agnes, written by her husband Maurice Bizley (1955); Slate Figures of Cornwall (illus & text)
A Litany...Cornish and Otherwise, pp 38-9
exhibitions
RA 1933
STISA 1951 Festival of Britain Touring Show
Perranzabuloe Museum 2012, 5 April-27 Oct: Watercolours, sketches and memorabilia of Alice C Bizley
memberships
STISA 1950-1995
RMA
misc further info
Correspondence in file with D Meister (2012); book in Hypatia Artbook collection.
references
Bizley (1958) A Friendly Retreat (illustrations)
Bizley (1965) Slate Figures of Cornwall (text and illustrations)
Buckman (2006) Dictionary of Artists in Britain since 1945;
Meister (2012) A Litany...Cornish and Otherwise
Millston Postcards (2012) 'Polperro from Chapel Rock' (1 only POLB235)