oil on board, signed and dated lower left, H. MCKIE/1948
Provenance: From The Millinery Works Collection.
Note: Helen McKie was born in London and attended Lambeth School of Art where she studied composition and painting under Philip Connard. She became an illustrator and permanent member of staff to 'Bystander' magazine from 1915-1929 and was a contributing artist to The Graphic, Sphere, Autocar, and Queen publications. In 1919 she exhibited at Brock Street Art Gallery, and in 1928 at Walkers Galleries, where Queen Mary purchased a picture. She also exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1934-1936 and at the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1936. Mural designs were designed and painted by McKie for amongst others; the Ritz Hotel in London, several Butlins holiday camps including a Bahamas resort, Ford motorcars, the French Government Tourist Office, and Selfridges. This painting was commissioned by the late Grace Laporte and her husband possibly for the walls of her hairdressing salon in Duke Street, St James’s, London.