Pender family from Mousehole in Cornwall
Jack Pender, Artist, 1918-1998
Pender Family page
An article published in the Cornishman January 2008 commemorates the work of Jack Pender (a pdf versionof the page can be seen - copyright Cornishman 2008)
Two books that show the work of the artist Jack Pender
by Sylvia Pender Johns
by Frank Ruhrmund (ISBN 978-185022 220 0)
Tributes to Jack Pender
Two new books have been published to coincide with the exhibition of Jack Pender’s work at Penlee House Museum and Gallery. The tribute exhibition celebrates the artist and his work, ten years after his death and ninety years after his birth.
One book has been written by Jack’s old friend, Frank Ruhrmund, as a tribute to the artist and his work. The other has been written by Jack’s sister, Sylvia Pender Johns.
Frank Ruhrmund’s book, ‘Jack Pender – A Tribute’, gives a brief (but very personal) biography of the artist, including his war service. It includes reproductions of many of his paintings – those which were included in the exhibition at Penlee House. The book was written to accompany his tribute exhibition.
It takes us through Jack’s life – starting in the fishing village of Mousehole, away to the Second World War (when he served in the Duke if Cornwall’s Light Infantry) and back. His formal training at art school and his teaching of the subject.
Mousehole, with its harbour and fishing boats, was a constant source of inspiration – such that many of his paintings feature boats (particularly his father’s boat, PZ81) and their return to harbour. The styles of his paintings are many and varied as he experimented with different techniques. He sounds like a ‘real character’ and earned respect and acclaim within the art-world.
Sylvia’s book, ‘Jack Pender and his grandfather William J George’, also gives a biography of the artist, but from a sister’s perspective. It includes images of a more personal nature – mementoes from family albums, both photographs and personal correspondence.
She gives us an insight of the worries and tensions felt by families whose sons were fighting in the war. Both her brothers were in the army and both survived the war. Their father’s boat (PZ81), along with her crew, volunteered for service with the Royal Navy.
Sylvia also gives a flavour of Mousehole when it was a working village – the history of the district and the origins of local names. What it was like to grow up in such an environment – the warmth of their family life, the music, the memories of parents and grandparents.
Their grandfather, William George, started painting at age 75 and continued painting until he died at age 94. He was an inspiration to Jack.
Penlee House commemorated his work on the
19 January - 8 March 2008
Further infomation from www.penleehouse.org.uk