Barbara Mary Willett (British, 1913-1993) Strange Encounter, 1960 Tempera on board 9-3/4 x 13-3/4 inches (24.8 x 34.9 cm) Signed lower right: B.M. Willett PROVENANCE: Estate of the artist. Born near Kington, Herefordshire, Barbara Willett (née Beddoes) had an idyllic childhood on the family farm. A dedicated and talented student, Barbara won annual awards for history, geography, and art, eventually becoming the first in her family to study beyond high school, attending Hereford School of Art in the early 1930s. She embraced her passion for art, teaching at Stockport High School for Girls. She was fortunate to spend much of her life close to nature, regardless of where in the world her travels took her. While she never lost her fondness for landscapes, Willett was unafraid to experiment with new genres and methods. Her oeuvre eventually grew to contain collages, tapestries, ceramics, and works on both paper and canvas spanning traditional landscape, surrealism, abstraction, and more.Further information on Willett and her life and work can be found on the artist's page on Fine Art America, carefully and lovingly curated by the artist's family.HID03101062020© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved