The Assassination, Black, White and Orange

Born St Andrews, Barnes-Graham studied at the Edinburgh College of Art from 1932-7 and rented a studio in Edinburgh between 1936 and 1940. In 1940 she went to St Ives on the suggestion of the Principal of ECA, who thought that her abstract work would benefit from the influence of artists working in St Ives. This proved an important move and she became friendly with Nicholson, Hepworth and Gabo joining the Newlyn Society of Artists and the St Ives Society of Artists in 1942.   In 1949 she became a founder member of the Penwith Society. In 1948 she visited Switzerland and glaciers became the subject of many of her paintings; at this time she started working on painted abstract reliefs. Other inspirations included the movement of waves and, more recently, Orkney.   Barns-Graham taught at Leeds School of Art 1956-7 and had a studio in London 1961-3. In her later years she divided her time between St Andrews and Cornwall. She died aged 92.