The Book, Cat, & Cat Book Lovers Almanac

of historical trivia regarding books, cats, and other animals. Actually this blog has evolved so that it is described better as a blog about cats in history and culture. And we take as a theme the advice of Aldous Huxley: If you want to be a writer, get some cats. Don't forget to see the archived articles linked at the bottom of the page.

February 23, 2019

February 23, 1991

Joyce Dennys, (August 18, 1893 to February 23, 1991) we read at a commercial site, was:

'[B]orn [in] Simla, India. ...[She] was a painter, playwright, illustrator, author and painter well into her nineties. Her prolific artistic career included creating [a] propaganda poster for the Great War, postcards of which are still sold at the Imperial War Museum.

'She took to writing during the Second World War and her peices were published weekly by Sketch and were later collected together and published in book form as
Henrietta's War: [subtitled, News from the Home Front 1939-1942]. She was a prolific illustrator and wrote plays for rep, amateur and professional theatre companies.

'She took to oil painting when her husband died in 1964 and painted many of the eye catching and amusing characters of Budleigh Salterton, including a series of paintings inspired by the typical sights of a seaside town...'

The  canvas we noticed, "THE FORTUNE TELLER" is described this way:

'This wonderfully atmospheric original painting by Joyce Dennys features a gypsy fortune teller, complete with red scarf, gold hoop earrings and crystal ball.

'She was probably inspired by one of the many fortune tellers that worked the stalls in the .... seaside town of Budleigh Salterton, where Joyce lived for a great many years. There are exhibitions of her paintings in the town, and an annual art prize is awarded in her name.

'In the background of the picture is a tree and sitting in the branches of the tree are two fabulously supernatural occult symbols a black cat and an owl.

'The light in the picture is amazing, appearing to come up and out of the crystal ball, illuminating the fortune teller from beneath and making her eyes appear incredibly powerful....

'The picture is signed in the bottom left hand corner by the artist...

'It was framed in Budleigh Salterton...

'She may not be quite as famous as Sir John [Everett] Millais, (who stayed in Budleigh Salterton) but in Budleigh Salterton the name of Joyce Dennys still brings a smile to faces. She's remembered as the author of Henrietta's War.

'She was also an artist who captured on canvas so many Budleigh characters and landmarks, often with a wicked sense of humour.'

Budleigh Salterton is in Devon, and is also now the home of Hilary Mantel.

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