Sheila Denning

Sheila Denning (1920-2015) was a British painter of portraits, landscapes and still life who trained at The Westminster, Heatherley, and Camberwell schools of art before and after WWII.

Her output spanned six decades, from 1935 to 1994, but drew little acclaim in her lifetime.

In the context of renewed interest in the work of ‘neglected’ women artists of the twentieth century, this website aims to showcase Sheila’s best work and to draw attention to her achievements.

A selection of Sheila Denning’s work can be found in the Gallery, categorised as portraits, figure paintingself portraits, landscape, still life and drawings.

Front cover: Sheila - Portrait of an Unknown Artist

SHEILA: Portrait of an Unknown Artist

A memoir about Sheila Denning’s life and work by her daughter, writer Teresa Thornhill, is due out in December 2025.

Thornhill tells her mother’s story from the inside, describing her struggle to paint while trying to survive an abusive marriage, run a home and raise two daughters.

SHEILA: Portrait of an Unknown Artist' can be purchased via teresathornhill.com: