These aren't great photos, but they show the first drawing for the linos that I am doing for the 'Winterbourne Stories' project. There will be approximately 10 A2 sized lino prints inspired by the Kelmscott Chaucer in style. Each one will illustrate an episode in the life of the Nettlefolds, which helped form Winterbourne House as it is today.
This first drawing onto tracing paper shows Margaret Chamberlain, before she married John Nettlefold, on her first day at Birmingham School of Art. She wrote in her diary of 1890 about the classes she attended at the Margaret Street building, which would have been opened about 15 years by this time. It was designed by John Henry Chamberlain (no relation) who had also designed Highbury Hall (the home of Margaret's uncle Joseph). The floral decorative detail was influenced by the writing of John Ruskin - champion of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The image has been drawn from recent photographs I took of Margaret Street and an archive image of a young woman from around 1890.
The design of the illuminated border will be based on lilies, as these
feature heavily in the decoration of the Art School's facade. There is a
large stone carved roundel and terracotta panels that all show various
kinds of lilies. I also feel the lilies are appropriate to Margaret's
unmarried status at this time.
