1961

Eardley was a regular reader of Picture Post which in January 1948 carried a now infamous article, The Forgotten Gorbals, featuring photographs of children by Bert Hardy and Bill Brandt. Eardley herself was never without a camera, and some of Eardley’s drawings and oils such as Three Children at a Tenement Window are closely based on her photographs.

• Material: Gouache on paper
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate and a private collection

The Samson family were painted by Eardley over the course of 7 years or more. They were a large family with children across a wide range of ages. Eardley discussed in an interview how these particular children amused her with their chatter and energy.

• Material: Oil on board
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate and a private collection

Eardley was trying to capture the community feeling of Glasgow’s back streets in her paintings, something she felt was rapidly disappearing.

• Material: Oil on canvas
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1963

A strong sense of close friendship is one of the most striking features of Eardley’s paintings of children, and is particularly apparent in Children and Chalked Wall.  The collage effect which Eardley used in much of her work is also prominent here.

• Material: Oil, newspaper and metal foil on canvas
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1949-51

This brightly coloured oil composition shows three children seated on the pavement kerb, one rapt in the contents of a comic, another holding an apple and the third gazing out of the picture, his spindly legs ending in t-bar sandals.

• Material: Oil on canvas
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

Another example of a painting in which Eardley captures the riotous energy of groups of children using rich, vivid colours.

• Material: Oil on canvas
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1962

This is a much later work – a large partially abstract composition that looks from the salmon net posts out to sea.  Some of Eardley’s seascapes were huge and it’s amazing that Eardley was able to carry these boards up and down the steep cliff path.  She did however acquire a motor scooter which helped her transport her materials back and forth.

• Material: Oil on board
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1959

One of Eardley’s many seascapes, The Sea depicts dark winter seas.

• Material: Oil on board
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1960

The fields behind The Row became the setting for many evocative paintings, of which Seeded Grasses and Daisies, September was one.  It uses a collage of real grasses and daisies set against a brooding sky.

• Material: Oil, grasses and seedheads on board
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate

1963

The leaden-skied view of the front of The Row is shown in one of her best-loved works, Catterline in Winter.

• Material: Oil on board
• © With kind permission of the Eardley Estate