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When she was twenty-five Pearl Alcock abandoned her marriage in Jamaica and emigrated to England. She took a number of factory jobs until she opened a boutique in Brixton, followed by a café and then a private club located in her basement. The Brixton riots in 1981 forced her to close the premises. In 1985 Alcock took up drawing because she wanted to give a birthday card to a friend but could not afford one. 'I went mad scribbling on anything I laid my hands on',she explains, 'friends admired what I had done and began to bring me materials to use, that is how I started'. Alcock refers to some of her works as mood paintingswhich, like dreams, are inspired from within. These pictures are saturated in vibrant colour and resemble abstract expressionist work. Alcock lives and works in London.

Pearl Alcock undated Courtesy of Tate Archive Photo credit: Andrew Wood view larger image

Poster for Pearl Alcock exhibition 1990 Courtesy of Tate Archive view larger image

Note from Pearl Alcock to Monika Kinley undated Courtesy of Tate Archive view larger image

Note from Pearl Alcock to Monika Kinley 1996 Courtesy of Tate Archive view larger image

Pearl Alcock 2000 Courtesy of Tate Archive Photo credit: Andrew Wood view larger image

Pearl Alcock at gallery opening 1990 Courtesy of Tate Archive Photo credit: Monika Kinley view larger image

Figures in the forest 1988 Oil pastel and pencil on paper Musgrave Kinley Outsider Collection view larger image

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