Mary Gernat
| Mary Gernat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1926  Ewell |
| Died | 1998 (aged 71–72) |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Illustrator |
Mary Gernat was a British illustrator, known for her designs for the covers of paperback books by Enid Blyton, Frank Richards and others.
Biography[]
Gernat was born in Ewell, Surrey, 1926,[1] and underwent training at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and Regent Street Polytechnic.[1]
Much of her work was for Armada Books.[2] She also produced dust jacket designs for some hardback editions,[3] and covers for magazines such as The Tatler.[4]
She married Michael How, an engineer,[5] in 1953.[6] She had four sons, whom she used as models for her designs,[2][7] and much later a daughter.[8] From 1963 the family lived in Milford on Sea, and in 1970 they moved to Lymington.[8] In later life she developed multiple sclerosis and after ceasing to paint professionally, continued to do so for pleasure.[1] She died in 1998.[1]
In May 2019, 120 of her paintings and sketches were shown on the BBC Television programme Antiques Roadshow by one of her sons, in whose possession they remain.[2]
Book cover designs[]
Among the books whose covers were designed by Gernat were:[2]
- A number by Enid Blyton
- Books by Frank Richards in the Billy Bunter series
- Books by Richmal Crompton 'Jimmy' series
- David Whitaker Doctor Who and the Crusaders - and early Doctor Who spin-off book
- Malcolm Saville: The Sign of the Alpine Rose (1963)[9]
- Books by Monica Edwards[9]
- Sheila K. McCullagh's Griffin Pirate Stories (also known as The Griffin Readers in original editions) that were published by EJ Arnold & Sons Limited for reading in primary/infant schools from the 1950s through to the late 1980s.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Mary Gernat". Jane Badger Books. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Osborne House 2". Antiques Roadshow. Series 40. 26 May 2019. BBC Television. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
- ^ "The Six Bad Boys by Enid Blyton". Enid Blyton Society. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "(cover)". The Tatler. 10 March 1954.
- ^ "Children who inspired Enid Blyton's Famous Five book covers are revealed". 18 November 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Mary Gernat". Mudeford Mag: 24–25. February 2016.
- ^ Fricker, Martin (19 November 2015). "The Real Famous Five". Daily Mirror. pp. 32–33.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Lymington artist Mary Gernat: son Roger How on sharing his mother's famous illustrations". Hampshire Life. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Mary Gernat". Retrieved 27 May 2019.
External links[]
- Family photograph of Gernat
- Facebook page about Gerant, run by her son Roger How
- Enid Blyton Society page on Gernat
- World of Blyton blog posts about Gernat
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| General | |
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| Other |
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- 1926 births
- 1998 deaths
- Alumni of the Central School of Art and Design
- Alumni of the University of Westminster
- People from Ewell
- People from Lymington
- 20th-century British women artists
- 20th-century English painters
- English illustrators
- People with multiple sclerosis