Flower Fairies

Cicely Barker, born in 1895 in Croydon, London, was the original Flower Fairies designer.
She was often ill as a child and was unable to go to school, so she was educated at home and spent time on her own, drawing and reading. When she was 15 her father submitted some of her work to Raphael Tuck, the stationary printer, who bought four of her pictures for greetings cards. Her first book, Flower Faiies of the Spring was published in 1923. Cicely's work reflects several strong influences. Her family was deeply religious and she retained a strong Christian faith all her life. She greatly admired the work of the pre-Raphelites and her own work echoes their philosophy of truth to nature both in her meticulous depiction of flowers and plants and in the way in which the fairies represent their spirit.