BLAKELY, Zelma Muriel

1921 - 1978

Zelma Muriel Blakely was born at Kensington, London on 26 November 1921, daughter of James Francis Blakely (born 1877), in the colonial service, and his wife Imeon Muriel née Matear (17 March 1884-1969), who married at Bromley, Kent in 1920. Zelma was educated in the United States and in England, studying at the Kingston School of Art 1939-1942 and at Slade School of Fine Art 1945-1948 under William Coldstream (1908-1987), John Buckland Wright (1897-1954) and Randolph Schwabe (1885-1948), winning the Wilson Steer Gold Medal, and went on to teach at Heatherley School of Fine Art. Zelma married at Chelsea in 1948, artist Keith MacKenzie (1924-1983) and they had three sons, but she continued to paint as Zelma Blakely, they later divorced. A wood engraver, printmaker and illustrator who illustrated many books over a period of some thirty years including Sion's 'English Fare and French Wines' (1958) and Reader's Digest 'Bedside Book of Nature' (1959). Zelma was elected an Associate of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers in 1966 and was a member of the Ipswich Art Club from 1974 being a member of the committee, exhibiting from Rose Cottage, Pin Mill, near Ipswich in 1977 'Book Illustration', 'Bookplate' and 'Expecting' also exhibited a colour woodcut 'Fish and Coral', and from Pin Mill was able to indulge in her hobby of sailing. After her divorce she married secondly at Ipswich in 1977, Roy Keith Waite (c1942-24 July 2014), who was 20 years her junior. Zelma Muriel Waite died at Rose Cottage, Pin Mill on 6 September 1978.

Royal Academy Exhibits
from Rose Cottage, Pin Mill, Ipswich
1973 262 Coming Home
1974 249 Owl by the River – wood engraving

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Works by This Artist