The Art of Elva Blacker - Part 5

During her travels she made it known that she was in a particular locality and would accept sittings from those requiring a picture. Whether in this way or through the RAF connection is unknown, but Blacker was given the opportunity to paint Air Chief Marshal the Earl of Basford, then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief the Far East Air Force. The picture, one of her most successful oils, is now in the RAF Museum collection.

Her career continued steadily in this vein, alternating long trips abroad with periods in the family home in Surrey. Blacker was a leading light of the art circle in her home town of Sutton and made use of her contacts for the benefit of the local arts club. She persuaded Graham Sutherland, the designer of the Coventry Cathedral tapestries, to become President of the Sutton Arts Council and was busy in other ways in the work of the society.

She became well-known locally for her kindness, fast driving and her motorcycle touring. The latter however brought on a serious accident which damaged her face and led to double vision which put paid to her miniature painting. She continued to paint in larger scale well into her sixties specialising to some degree in animals and becoming a regular visitor to Cruft's dog show. Failing eye sight eventually forced her to give up her work, though she remained in touch with local artists and exhibitions until her death in 1984.

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