by Dee Delaney

Created on: August 25, 2010

Dramatic, strong and opinionated, Barbara Hepworth was one of the most important figures in the development of abstract art in Britain. A close friend of Henry Moore and married to Ben Nicholson, she became famous for creating beautiful impressions of objects rather than exact representations, Hepworth did much to enlarge the language of sculpture, and this lovely little museum which nestles in the backstreets of St Ives in Cornwall is dedicated to remembering her achievements.

Barbara Hepworth came to live in St Ives in 1939 and remained living and working in the Trewyn studios that are now the museum, for the rest of her life. The Trewyn studios provided the space for her to create the enormous bronze, stone and wood sculptures that made her famous, and the garden itself was an essential part of her creative process. When she died in 1975 what had been her home and studio was given over to the Tate to become a museum that celebrates her work. Today it is one of the most exciting and unexpected treasures in St Ives; the small cottage of steep staircases and small rooms forms the entrance to a lush garden, filled with magnificent sculptures, winding paths and ponds. The entrance to the museum lies on a quiet side street, and the small doorway with its inconspicuous white sign could easily be missed.

~~The Ground Floor~~
Stooping under the low door lintel, the visitor walks into a disarmingly informal room. A receptionist sits just inside the door behind a low desk to collect the money – and immediately you find yourself in the street level room that was originally the kitchen, dining room and bathroom of Hepworth’s house. This small white, low ceilinged room introduces the visitor to the artist via a timeline of her life, where yellowed newspaper clippings are mixed in with photographs of a young and pretty housewife who looks nothing like the strong featured artist that we are all more familiar with. Family photographs of Barbara with her young triplets look disconcertingly like photographs from my family album, with bright lipsticked 1950’s smiles, huge prams and formal clothing.  It is fascinating to see how Hepworth’s work developed alongside her personal life, and this room has an unexpectedly intimate feel.

~~First Floor~~
Walking through another low doorway, a steep flight of stairs takes you up to the room that was used as a studio, bedroom and sitting room, but which is now used to display a selection of smaller marble and

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