Tributes to Westcliff artist Brenda Meredith Seymour

Brenda Meredith Seymour spent the majority of her life in the town, completing thousands of pieces of art.

The 89-year-old passed away on Sunday following her health deteriorating after contracting and fighting off Covid-19.

Ms Seymour’s work was widely distributed, including by publishers such as the The Lutterworth Press, the Gordon Fraser Gallery and the Royal Academy’s gallery on at least two occasions.

Brenda Meredith Seymour

The former Westcliff High School for Girls pupil worked as a full-time artist for 40 years between the 1950s and 1990s.

Carol Black, Ms Seymour’s cousin, said she was “always very modest” about her work.

She said: “She was always doodling. I don’t think she ever intended to make it her living, she always had lots of childhood drawings.

“It became her profession after she went to university to read English. After she left she went back to live with her parents in Westcliff. She started to send work off to various art houses.

“She was so skilled, it wasn’t until we cleared out her bungalow that we found masses and masses of sketches.

“She got a couple of awards and was at the Royal Academy Gallery. She did drawings of gardens and children.

“We didn’t actually know about the Royal Academy Gallery until we were told by another cousin.

“She was very modest, she never liked to blow her own trumpet.”

Brenda Meredith Seymour

Other drawings by Ms Seymour included nativity photos with the Three Kings and baby Jesus, and pictures of orchestras and angels, and a love for medieval musical instruments led her to draw many photos of angels playing those instruments.

She would also design multiple different cards, which were bought by thousands of people.

Ms Seymour was an only child and always had a lot of support from her parents to pursue drawing.

In 1974, she was officially elected as a member of the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers.

Colourful - Brenda Seymour's angel instruments painting

Mrs Black added: “She had Covid but recovered from that amazingly, but went into decline after that.

“She was quite frail and if you have Covid even if it doesn’t kill you it can debilitate you.”

Johnny Black, Carol’s husband, said: “The sheer quantity of her work meant Brenda must have functioned at a remarkable rate.

“Although her name was not widely known to the general public, Brenda’s art has been much more widely appreciated by thousands who bought her cards.”

Artist - Brenda Meredith Seymour has sadly died. Insets: Her work