The artistic world mourns the loss of Wendy Hoile, a celebrated illustrator and artist whose vibrant work adorned the covers of major publications and books for decades. She has died at the age of 77.
From London Art Schools to a Colourful Career
Wendy Hoile was born in Greenford, west London, and grew up in Chiswick. She was the younger daughter of Dick, an insurance clerk, and Madge, a secretary at Chelsea police station. After attending Staveley Road school, she completed a foundation course at Twickenham Art College. However, her time at Epsom Art College was cut short when tutors criticised her paintings for being too figurative.
Her career initially took a musical turn, inspired by her elder sister Linda, the lead singer of the jazz-rock band Affinity. In 1972, she recorded a single featuring Harry Nilsson's 'Coconut' with her own B-side. She later toured Italy under the stage name Blanch Carter and even attended the Lucie Clayton Model Academy, which she said taught her "how to get out of a sports car".
A Prolific Illustrator with a Distinctive Style
It was her then-boyfriend, magazine design innovator Robert Priest, who suggested she try illustration. The advice proved transformative. From 1973, her colourful and insightful illustrations gained widespread recognition, appearing in mainstream magazines and newspapers including Time Out and the Observer, often as cover art.
In 1977, she and Priest moved to the United States to test the market, where both found professional success. However, feeling homesick, she returned alone to Britain in 1981. Her career swiftly regained momentum, with her illustrations featuring on even more magazine covers, Chester's piano books, and numerous book jackets.
One of her most notable commissions was the cover for Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka's memoir, 'Aké', published in 1981. In 1984, she won a national illustration prize for a piece titled 'Once in a Blue Moon', citing Smarties as her colour inspiration. Her work for the Times on the 1987 Booker prize novels and her bestselling still-life prints, promoted by Camden's Young Artists agency, cemented her reputation.
Family Life and a Lasting Legacy
She met her future husband in New York in 1979. Reconnecting in the UK, they became partners in 1987, married the following year, and moved to Wiltshire in 1990 with their two baby sons. In later years, she channelled her visual talent into designing websites for local artists and was a devoted mother, teaching music and art to her children.
Wendy Hoile is survived by her husband, her sons Charlie and Jack, and her elder sister, Linda. Her vibrant artistic legacy, marked by a unique understanding of colour and narrative, continues to resonate.
