Stanley Horace Gardiner

(1888-1952)

Born in Reading in 1888, Stanley was apprenticed as a house decorator whilst in his spare time painting with house-paint on card. After winning a Scholarship to Reading University, he went on to study at the Allan Fraser Art College, Arbroath, Scotland. Stanley travelled to America but returned during World War 1 to serve in the Armed Forces.

In Lamorna during 1923-1952, he was encouraged and heavily influenced by Samuel John Lamorna Birch, (for whom he made frames when finances were tight), along with  for Stanhope Forbes and others.

Stanley lived at Lily Cottage and worked often in the open air, and in the studio he built for himself (Bludor Studio). He studied at the Forbes School in 1926, and showed at Newlyn Art Gallery in the Christmas Exhibition of that year. His titles included Sun Daisies, April Morning and Lamorna, among others.  He also took pupils for lessons in the open air, carrying on the long-held plein air tradition.

Regarded as a major treasure at Penlee House, Penzance is a Portrait of Stanley Gardiner painted in 1938 by the artist Richard Copeland Weatherby (Seal).  It was shown at STISA and then hung at the RA in 1945. It depicts Gardiner 'who stands, legs astride, palette in left hand, brush to the fore, facing his easel with the Lamorna Quay in the background.' (D Bradfield). 

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