Comments on: Dorothy Rendell, Artist

By: Walia Kani

Walia Kani — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 18:37:07 +0000

Miss Kelk was my teacher at Harry Gosling, and Miss Rendell taught us art. Some of us were taken to visit the Castle Hedingham cottage. What a broadening of horizons for Stepney children!
I remember being fascinated by the fact that the cottage had two staircases.

By: Philippa Fairbanks

Philippa Fairbanks — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 18:45:35 +0000

We have known Dorothy all our lives. Our aunt Joan Kelk taught with her at the Harry Gosling school, where I was often taken to learn my tables and watch Dorothy’s art classes. As a penniless nurse in London in the 1960s, Dorothy would have me to supper in one of her amazing flats, so kind and delicious. On retirement , she and May Parry, former head of Harry Gosling, bought a cottage in Castle Hedingham where our mother Peggy Garge and aunt Joan Kelk lived, they loved Hedingham and its village characters, she painted some lovely village views, and drinks parties at Camille Cottage were frequent !
My sister Charlotte and I visited her in Mile End Place, not as frequently as we would have wished, she loved to talk of the old times and with smoked salmon, chocolate and wine a jolly time was had by all, surrounded by her amazing art works. She always thought of others, was exceptionally kind and had a wise word to say about our lives, no dementia there! In her 90th year she visited us on Mersea Island, brought by wonderful friend Kate, and managed to walk to my beach hut for tea and a cigarette! She appeared to accept her restricted life, no complaints, just enjoying visits in a haven of peace that was Mile End Place.
We shall miss her greatly, but have wonderful memories. Thank you Dorothy.

Note to Gentle Author, a superb article, lovely pictures
Philippa Fairbanks

By: Kitanz

Kitanz — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 00:31:44 +0000

Ms. Rendell paints such Lovely pictures. I have not herd of her before and I am so Pleased to see her paintings. I am going to find more!!!Thank You!!

By: John Barrett

John Barrett — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 09:30:40 +0000

Dorothy is a lovely powerful person I would have liked her as my friend so much to talk about. John a bus pass poet

By: Colin Cohen

Colin Cohen — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 07:35:48 +0000

Thank you for posting this. Like some of the other people who have commented, I also attended Harry Gosling School and was taught art by Miss Rendell. She was an inspirational teacher, and so was the head teacher Miss Parry. The teachers at that school in the East End gave so many of us a great start in life.

By: Tanya reynolds

Tanya reynolds — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 00:06:06 +0000

I lived opposite Dorothy for a number of years. A delightful lady. Wonderful stories and a true creative spirit.
Thank you for sharing this gentle author

By: Angela Stevenson (Pulver)

Angela Stevenson (Pulver) — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 23:45:20 +0000

I went to Harry Gosling and was taught by Miss Rendell, she did not know it but she made me love art and over the decades I have painted and sold my pictures. I have her to thank for that. I last saw her about 25 or more years ago at Bancroft hospital when my old headmistress was ill and a call had gone out for old pupils to visit her . I was at least 35 years old but like a child again when I met her. I have so much to thank her for.

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 19:01:51 +0000

Yet another trip down memory lane for me and thanks once again GA. Dorothy Rendell sounds a wonderful character and she could obviously paint very well, what a shame her talent was not more widely recognized. I also was taught by the lovely Carel Weight and what a character he was as well, on one occasion Hugh Cronyn was driving a group of us out to his home at Stoke by Nayland and Carel Weight came with us, as we drove through the village where I lived Carel said, in his lovely plummy voice, “wonderful paintable country this”, and when told that I lived there, he told me how very fortunate I was. He would also provide us with a large quantity of cider to drink on these days out, and on visits to London with him he would suddenly leap on a bus and we had to be quick to jump on as well telling the conductor that we were going to the same place as that gentleman wherever it was ! He also used to tell us stories of the ghosts that he said he frequently saw and that if he sold two painting a year he considered himself fortunate. Very very happy memories of a very kind and generous man. Thank you Dorothy for sharing your memories of him.

By: Cecilia

Cecilia — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 18:35:25 +0000

I too am hoping there will be a show of Miss Rendell’s art – it’s telling us the story of life in East London – fascinating, just as her story is fascinating to read. So talented, so modest –
thank you

By: Sonia Murray

Sonia Murray — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 16:05:23 +0000

What a shame that this gifted artist didn’t get the recognition she so truly deserved fifty years ago! Sadly, at that time the critics were in love with garish splotches of paint thrown on canvas from buckets by so-called artists with the mental capacity of toddlers. I hope the Tate is now collecting Dorothy Rendells’ brilliant paintings – as they should have in the past.

Please show us more of Miss Rendell’s work!