New Beryl Cook picture

Beryl Cook's works of art always managed to raise a smile. Audacious, sometimes outrageous, most certainly cheeky, her canvases always delivered a huge slice of humour.

Sadly, Beryl, one of Britain's best-loved artists, died in May last year.

Eight months on, the Alexander Gallery in Whiteladies Road, Bristol, the place of so many of her hugely popular shows, is mounting its annual exhibition of her work.

The gallery enjoyed a long and close personal relationship with Beryl for more than 30 years and one of its directors, Peter Slade, reflected: "We always look forward to her exhibitions because her work makes people laugh out loud. It is just a joy to be in the gallery hearing this response from everyone enjoying the pictures.

"This year will, of course, be very different, but I'm sure the warmth and humour of her pictures will raise everyone's spirits."

Peter added: "It is probably fair to say that one of the greatest joys Beryl received from painting was knowing that people took great pleasure in collecting her cards, books, calendars and limited edition prints; and it was her express wish, and that of her family, that her pictures should continue to be made available for reproduction after her death.

"We are, therefore, pleased to announce that publishing of limited edition prints is to continue and that the first posthumous limited edition Drinkies is to be released at the exhibition."

Some of Beryl Cook's paintings are still to be seen. For example, one of the last she ever painted called The Last Gasp.

Peter said: "It's a very apocryphal title. The family also still have a few other paintings, and it is our intention to keep publishing them for as long as it is possible.

"The Last Gasp has been printed and will be unveiled probably later this year or early next."

The gallery's newest print, Drinkies shows a typical Cook-esque female of a certain age, clad in her underwear, getting ready for a night out and swigging a quick drink as she goes.

It's quite a choice, too, as paintings by Beryl go, because it is full of artefacts which she actually owned.

As Peter explained: "Drinkies is a brand new print. No one has seen it, and all the things in the picture are things Beryl owned.

"She had a liking for Art Deco furniture and loved all the Guinness memorabilia, all you can see in the picture is her – the dressing table, the mirror, the Guinness toucan lamp – so it's a very personal work.

"She did agree for this to be published before she died, but she was unable to sign it."

The Drinkies limited edition print is priced at £282 unframed, or £340 framed, and copies can be ordered by calling the gallery on 0117 9739582. Beryl lived in Clifton for a while and the city's nightlife inspired several of her limited editions including Clubbing In The Rain, In The Snug and Bus Stop, all of which are in the exhibition. More than 50 of her signed limited editions and silkscreens will feature in the exhibition which runs until Saturday March 14. The Alexander Gallery's opening hours are 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday. All the pictures can also be viewed online. Go to: www.alexander-gallery.co.uk