The Forgotten Brushstrokes of Irene Bache

Irene Bache: A Life in Art and Education

The story of Irene Mary Bache (1901–1999) is one of quiet influence. Although never widely known in the public sphere, she left a lasting mark on British art education and produced a significant body of work as a watercolourist inspired by both the European tradition and the landscapes of South Wales.

Early Life and Education

Born in March 1901 in Brockley, London, Irene was the eldest child of Charles Westover Bache and Emily Florence Brook, both amateur artists. 

1901 Census

By 1911 the family had settled in Reigate, Surrey, where Irene grew up with her younger siblings, Elsa and Karl.

1911 Census

Her aptitude for art led her to formal studies at the Croydon School of Art, the Central School of Arts and Crafts, and Camberwell School of Art. By the 1921 Census she was already employed as an “Art Student Painting” under O. Crompton, an early indication of her professional trajectory.

1921 Census

A Career in Teaching

Bache’s professional life began with teaching positions at schools in Croydon, Peterborough, Worthing, and Whitchurch, before she accepted a short-term lectureship at the Royal College of Art.

Her most significant appointment came in 1942, during the Second World War, when she became head of the Arts and Crafts department at Swansea College of Education. She held this position until 1966, and during her tenure advanced a philosophy that placed the imagination of the child at the centre of art education.

Her approach was unconventional for the period. She rejected rigid academic methods, asserting that “children should be taught as children” and encouraged to explore creativity rather than being moulded into potential art students.

Artistic Practice

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery

Alongside her teaching, Bache pursued an active artistic career. She became a member of the Swansea Art Society, serving as Vice-President in 1954 and Chair in 1955. Her work was recognised through solo exhibitions at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in Swansea, first in 1954 and again in 1966, the latter coinciding with her retirement.

Bache’s watercolours reveal her admiration for the traditions of Turner, Cotman, and Constable. She travelled extensively—through France, Venice, and the West Indies—producing sketches often sold directly to fellow travellers. Nevertheless, it was the dramatic landscapes of South Wales and the Gower Peninsula that most deeply inspired her. Her depictions of stormy skies, rugged cliffs, and wild seas capture the elemental force of the region.

Later Years and Legacy

After retirement, Bache continued to teach, this time focusing on amateur artists in the fields of landscape, portraiture, flower painting, and pottery. She also experimented with new media, notably announcing a form of “sand sculpture” that used light to create dramatic sculptural effects in a sandbox.

She remained connected to Swansea’s cultural community and was acquainted with Dylan Thomas and his circle. Irene Bache died in May 1999 in Gower, aged 98.

Conclusion

Although her name is not widely recognised today, Irene Bache’s contributions to both art and education are significant. She shaped a generation of students with her progressive teaching methods, and her paintings—particularly of the South Wales coast—stand as vivid records of her vision. Much of her work remains in private hands, awaiting rediscovery.scapes of South Wales, and a teacher who dared to put imagination before convention.