SHEILA Portrait of an Unknown Artist: through the Eyes of her Daughter

by Teresa Thornhill

306 pages, Paperback

Published January 29, 2026

Reviews

[Felicity Laurence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling and tender story of a brilliant painter, Sheila Denning, who lived during the twentieth century. Despite her extraordinary talent, Sheila was overlooked in her time for the kinds of reasons that so many women struggled, and struggle still, to achieve their rightful place in the world beyond the kitchen and the children of whose nurture they so often end up as sole providers.
Sheila’s life is described in this memoir by her daughter, Teresa Thornhill, and is enriched by excerpts from Sheila’s own autobiographical notes. Threaded throughout the book are colour reproductions of many of Sheila’s paintings, in particular her wonderful portraits. These are undeniably exquisite works of art, so that we can see for ourselves what it was that Sheila had to offer, and through them, that passion that kept her painting in the face of all of the obstacles that Thornhill recounts.
Thornhill’s perspective provides an intense immediacy which will surely resonate with many women who watched their own mothers try to cope with, and tackle, the constraints that prevailed in the post-war period in the 20th century and which so often suppressed or ignored their talents. Inevitably, the story also takes us into many facets of Teresa’s own childhood and the various complex family relationships that continued into her adulthood.
This is a book that touches its reader on many levels; as well as being a deeply rewarding read for the individual reader, it would work extremely well as a book club choice for discussion and shared responses.

[Anne Bristow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila: Portrait of an Unknown Artist is a memoir about the artist Sheila Denning, written by her daughter, Teresa Thornhill. I was struck by the way Sheila suffered from the attitude of key men in her life: her father wasn't willing to pay for her to go to art school, so she had to work to pay her fees; then the macho male tutors at Camberwell Art School who didn't give her a Degree at the end of her course; and then her sculptor husband. He was the love of her life, but he treated her very badly from when she became pregnant. The author was aware of her mother's feelings from a very young age and felt she had to protect her.

I like the writing style, which appears deceptively open and simple. It's accessible and direct, as well as being tender and perceptive. The descriptions are very vivid, so that I felt I was there too, and I could empathise with the author’s emotions. I like the way the text isn't strictly chronological, although the book moves along in a generally chronological way.

I was impressed with the way the author looked at her mother's paintings in great detail, analysing what they said about the sitter in the case of the portraits.

It was good to see so many colour photos of Sheila Denning's paintings, as well as some black and white photos of her, and some of the houses she lived in. The book is lavishly illustrated for the price, a beautiful book, and a wonderful memorial to someone who was evidently so beloved.

[Charmian Kenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written memoir that, together with the high quality pictures, brings the life and work of artist Sheila Denning to life. Sheila's experiences at art school highlight the shocking denigration of women artists in the 1940s and 1950s, making her determination to continue painting even more remarkable. The intertwining of art with her personal life is sensitively explored by the author, her daughter Teresa Thornhill. I found this book engrossing!

[Andrew Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up a flyer for this book at Tate St Ives. It sat in my kitchen for about a week before I simply had to buy it. So glad I did. This isn't simply a book about a lesser known painter, this is a story of resilience, love and talent. Don't worry if you've not heard of Sheila before, read it and enjoy.

[Helen Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book gripping and moving, the last sentence moved me to tears as we appreciate what a deep enduring love Teresa Thornhill has for Sheila, her mother and an artist.

An enormous undertaking for a daughter to encapsulate her mother’s life as an artist, a person in her own right and as a parent.

Teresa writes with cool clarity and deep compassion for Sheila. She captures the times of Sheila’s youth and development as a woman and artist and how limited and restrictive they were for women at the time.

We read the contrast between what Teresa’s father, also an artist, takes as an unchallenged entitlement to continue his artistic practice and the way Sheila has to fight for every tiny moment to even keep the idea of herself as an artist alive, not just in society but also in the family.