A community of artists who lived in and around village of Great Bardfield in north Essex from the 1930s to 1970s. At its heart during the 1930s were friends Edward Bawden and Eric Ravilious with their artist wives Charlotte Epton and Tirzah Garwood, who lived for a time together at Brick House. The community held a number of exhibitions in their homes in the 1950s and the Fry Art Gallery in Saffron Walden opened in 1987 to largely honour them. Developed in association with Grant Waters, Art Detective Group Leader: South East England, East England and the Midlands.

18 artworks
Brick House, Great Bardfield
© the estate of Edward Bawden. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Brick House, Great Bardfield 1955

Edward Bawden (1903–1989)

Watercolour on paper

H 44.3 x W 56 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Eric Sawbridge
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Eric Sawbridge 1932

Charlotte Bawden (1902–1970)

Oil on canvas

H 76 x W 49 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Two Women Sitting in a Garden
Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Two Women Sitting in a Garden 1932

Eric Ravilious (1903–1942)

Watercolour on paper

H 45.4 x W 55.8 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Hornet with Wild Roses
Image credit: Towner

Hornet with Wild Roses 1950

Tirzah Garwood (1908–1951)

Oil on canvas

H 30.5 x W 40.5 cm

Towner

Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden
© National Portrait Gallery, London. Image credit: National Portrait Gallery, London

Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden 1933

Michael Rothenstein (1908–1993)

Watercolour on paper

H 55.8 x W 70.3 cm

National Portrait Gallery, London

Kitty Wilson
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Kitty Wilson 1945

Duffy Ayers (1915–2017)

Oil on canvas

H 49.2 x W 33.5 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Great Bardfield
© the artist's estate / Bridgeman Images. Image credit: William Evans Bequest, Bangor University

Great Bardfield 1938

John Arthur Malcolm Aldridge (1905–1983)

Oil on canvas

H 35 x W 45 cm

William Evans Bequest, Bangor University

Great Bardfield Windmill
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Great Bardfield Windmill 1958

Sheila Robinson (1925–1988)

Linocut on paper

H 57 x W 39.5 cm

Fry Art Gallery

First Prize
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

First Prize 1953

Bernard Cheese (1925–2013)

Lithograph on paper

Fry Art Gallery

Summer Gardens, Bardfield
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Chelmsford Museums

Summer Gardens, Bardfield 1940s

Kenneth Rowntree (1915–1997)

Oil on canvas

H 57.4 x W 77.8 cm

Chelmsford Museums

The Water Bowser
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

The Water Bowser

George Chapman (1908–1993)

Oil on board

H 45.7 x W 58.5 cm

Fry Art Gallery

The Wrestlers
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

The Wrestlers c.1944

Audrey Cruddas (1912–1979)

Gouache & mixed media on paper

H 55 x W 55 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Three Textile Designs
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Three Textile Designs

Marianne Straub (1909–1994)

Fabric/textile

Fry Art Gallery

Harbour and Figures
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge

Harbour and Figures 1956

Stanley Clifford-Smith (1906–1968)

Oil on hardboard

H 113.5 x W 82.5 cm

Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge

Oval Bowl
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Oval Bowl early 1960s

Joan Glass (1915–2000)

Earthernware

H 7 x W 30 x D 25 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Great Lodge Farm
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Great Lodge Farm 1953

Walter Hoyle (1922–2000)

Watercolour on paper

H 28 x W 37.5 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Save all the Year Round
© the copyright holder. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Save all the Year Round

Denise Hoyle (b.1935)

Lithograph on paper

H 60 x W 91 cm

Fry Art Gallery

Early Morning
© the artist's estate. Image credit: Fry Art Gallery

Early Morning c.1955

John Bolam (1922–2009)

Oil on board

H 12.5 x W 32.5 cm

Fry Art Gallery