Betty Swanwick, R.A. (1915-1989)

Swanwick spoke of how she developed an idea for a picture from drawings 'I put down the reactions in very rough shapes, symbols and movements ... Then in my working place at home I begin a very large free drawing, usually in pencil. I feel my way round in this drawing, changing things about and being completely ruthless if necessary. After this adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying there finally emerges a clear design' (P. Rossmore, Betty Swanwick: Artist and Visionary, London, 2008, p. 147).