Sheila Lea ( Maclagan; 16 March 1901–1992) was a British sculptor.

Biography

Lea was born in London to a Scottish father, Norman Maclagan, and his wife, Olive, who was from Cornwall. Lea spent part of her childhood at

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a market town, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, 10 ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

before attending the Bournemouth College of Art where she was taught by the sculptor

Joseph Hermon Cawthra Joseph Hermon Cawthra (1886–1971), was an English monumental sculptor. During his lifetime he was considered among the leading classical sculptors working in Britain and received several commissions for public monuments, war memorials and arch ...

. After moving to London to study at the

Regent Street Polytechnic The University of Westminster is a public university based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institution, it was the first polytechnic to open in London. The Polytechnic formally received a Royal charter in Aug ...

School of Art, Lea returned to Bournemouth where she lived for the rest of her life. From there she produced statuettes and sculpture groups in both bronze and plaster and was particularly noted for her portrait work. From 1946 to 1983 Lea was a regular exhibitor at Royal Academy group shows in London. She also had pieces shown at the Paris Salon, with the

Society of Women Artists The Society of Women Artists (SWA) is a British art body dedicated to celebrating and promoting fine art created by women. It was founded as the Society of Female Artists (SFA) in about 1855, offering women artists the opportunity to exhibit and ...

and with the Bournemouth Arts' Club of which she was a member. The

Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum The Russell-Cotes Museum (formally, the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum) is an art gallery and museum in Bournemouth, England. A Grade II* listed building originally known as East Cliff Hall, it is located on the top of the East Cliff, next ...

has examples of her work.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lea, Sheila 1901 births 1992 deaths 20th-century British sculptors 20th-century English women artists Alumni of Arts University Bournemouth Alumni of the Regent Street Polytechnic English women sculptors Sculptors from London