THE life and works of a remarkable Somerset artist are being celebrated in a new exhibition at the Museum of Somerset.

Rachel Reckitt (1908-1995) was a 20th-century modernist artist who lived and worked in West Somerset for over 60 years. She was a unique-artistic talent who worked entirely on her own terms, even training as a blacksmith when she was in her 60s.

'Chance Encounters: The Art of Rachel Reckitt' is a retrospective of paintings, sculpture and wood engravings by the West Somerset artist Rachel Reckitt (1908-1995.) It is open until 15 March 2025.
The Private View for the Museum of Somerset’s latest art exhibition took place on Friday 18 October. 'Chance Encounters: The Art of Rachel Reckitt' is a retrospective of paintings, sculpture and wood engravings by the West Somerset artist Rachel Reckitt (1908-1995.) It is open until 15 March 2025. (Photo: The Museum of Somerset)
Rachel Reckitt Retrospective
Guests were joined by Rachel Reckitt’s niece, the Booker prize winning author Dame Penelope Lively and great-niece the musician Josephine Lively. Both women knew Rachel well and serve as trustees on the board of The Golsoncott Foundation, that was established as a Charitable Trust from the artist's estate. Pictured left to right is: Dame Penelope Lively, CEO of the South West Heritage Trust Sam Astill, Exhibition Curator Sarah Cox and Josephine Lively. (Photo: The Museum of Somerset)

Reckitt is amongst previously-overlooked female artists to feature in a new film, ‘War Paint – Women at War’. This feature documentary, by BAFTA award-winning director Margy Kinmonth, champions the powerful female perspective of conflict through art.

Sarah Cox, Exhibitions Manager at the South West Heritage Trust, said: “Reckitt was a woman who, in many ways, rejected the conventions of her time, gender and class.

“We are delighted that this new exhibition and documentary film will shine a light on the achievements of this inimitable Somerset artist.”

In preparation for the exhibition the South West Heritage Trust acquired 13 new works by Reckitt, adding to its growing collection of works by local female artists. Amongst them is ‘Ruins’ which was painted by Reckitt whilst travelling in Sweden, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War.

‘Ruins’ will be displayed alongside paintings, sculpture and wood engravings on loan from public and private collections.

In 1939, Reckitt moved from Somerset to London to support the war effort, helping to evacuate families from the city and sending children to Golsoncott, her family home in Somerset, which became a nursery.

The exhibition is supported by the Golsoncott Foundation, a charitable Trust established to support the arts as part of Reckitt’s legacy.

The exhibition, ‘Chance Encounters: The Art of Rachel Reckitt’, will be showing at the Museum of Somerset until March 15, 2025.

Admission is free and donations are welcome.