The 175 stunning, full-color illustrations collected in this volume serve as a retrospective of the life and work of the prolific, underrecognized artist Anna Coatalen (née Hook). Born in Bristol in 1916, she created woodcuts, stained glass windows, and paintings, and continued working on her creative pursuits until her death at age ninety-five. A lifelong artist, she studied at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London and worked as a book illustrator before joining the Women’s Royal Naval Service in World War II.

Despite her huge creative output during her lifetime, she never sought to publicize her work. Amongst friends who appreciated and admired her were the artists Mary Fedden and Alexander Goudie. Goudie’s son is the Scottish artist and TV presenter Lachlan Goudie, who provides the introduction to this collection. Together, Anna Coatalen: Art for Happiness et Bonheur serves as remembrance, introduction, and tribute to an inspired creative life. As Goudie writes in his introduction, “The world seen through Anna’s eyes is a happy place to be and her paintings are a fitting testament to the kind and talented person that she was in life.”

Annik Coatalen Heal is a dance teacher and former professional ballet dancer who trained at Elmhurst and the Royal Ballet School. As the eldest of the artist’s five daughters, she has an intimate knowledge and appreciation of her mother’s work.