Mary Gernat

Mary Gernat was a British illustrator, known for her designs for the covers of paperback books by Enid Blyton, Frank Richards and others.

Mary Gernat
Born1926 
Ewell 
Died1998  (aged 71–72)
Alma mater
OccupationIllustrator 

Biography

Gernat was born in Ewell, Surrey, 1926,[1] and underwent training at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and Regent Street Polytechnic.[1]

Much of her work was for Armada Books.[2] She also produced dust jacket designs for some hardback editions,[3] and covers for magazines such as The Tatler.[4]

She married Michael How, an engineer,[5] in 1953.[6] She had four sons, whom she used as models for her designs,[2][7] and much later a daughter.[8] From 1963 the family lived in Milford on Sea, and in 1970 they moved to Lymington.[8] In later life she developed multiple sclerosis and after ceasing to paint professionally, continued to do so for pleasure.[1] She died in 1998.[1]

In May 2019, 120 of her paintings and sketches were shown on the BBC Television programme Antiques Roadshow by one of her sons, in whose possession they remain.[2]

Book cover designs

Among the books whose covers were designed by Gernat were:[2]

gollark: I'm not sure the current situation is a *bug* as much as a *design* problem.
gollark: It would be very weird though.
gollark: Well, sure?
gollark: I mean, yes, but:- I don't think there are that many blank templates around- There's no way to tell where the text should go- It would make bad memes
gollark: But not finding new interesting templates.

References
  1. "Mary Gernat". Jane Badger Books. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. "Osborne House 2". Antiques Roadshow. Series 40. 26 May 2019. BBC Television. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  3. "The Six Bad Boys by Enid Blyton". Enid Blyton Society. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  4. "(cover)". The Tatler. 10 March 1954.
  5. "Children who inspired Enid Blyton's Famous Five book covers are revealed". 18 November 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  6. "Mary Gernat". Mudeford Mag: 24–25. February 2016.
  7. Fricker, Martin (19 November 2015). "The Real Famous Five". Daily Mirror. pp. 32–33.
  8. "Lymington artist Mary Gernat: son Roger How on sharing his mother's famous illustrations". Hampshire Life. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  9. "Mary Gernat". Retrieved 27 May 2019.
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