COVE

The Birmingham School of Art, England's first Municipal School of Art, opened in 1885 in a Victorian Gothic building designed by John Henry Chamberlain.  Under the guidance of founding Director of Edward R. Taylor, it became an important site of Arts and Crafts design.

Illustrated by Georgie Gaskin

The Little Grey Lady

(Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1893)

The snowdrops in Gaskin’s illustration allude to the answer to the ‘spring riddle’, and the baby animals are mentioned in the poem: ‘…the goslins / the ducklets & chicks / …the dear lambs…’. 

Gaskin was a woman of many talents.  She was also a prolific designer of Arts and Crafts jewellery.

Written and pictured by Mrs Arthur Gaskin

ABC An Alphabet

(Elkin Matthews, 1895)

These woodcuts by Georgie Gaskin (1866-1934) encpasulate some favourite themes of the Birmingham School:  realistic portrayal of nature, pastoral living, and mediaevalism.  Woodcuts were popular with Arts and Crafts artists, because they linked mediaeval techniques with modern industry.

Gaskin was also inspired by Kate Greenaway’s images of children.

Rev. Isaac Watts, illustrated by Mrs. Arthur Gaskin

Divine and Moral Songs

(Elkin Matthews, 1901)

Georgie Gaskin’s colour illustrations bring new life to this enduring religious ‘manual’ for children, which was first published in 1715.  Her simple line drawings and subtle use of colour are reminiscent of Kate Greenaway’s work, and were more accessible than earlier 19^th-century illustrations.  Gaskin’s delicate and naïve style appealed to late Victorian taste.