Brenda Bury
# Brenda Bury

Brenda Bury (born 1932) is an English professional portrait artist based in Toronto. She has painted members of the British Royal Family, the aristocracy, and politicians in the British and Canadian governments. She has painted Queen Elizabeth II, Margaret Thatcher and John Diefenbaker. Her portrait of Kenneth Tynan is in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Bury is married to John Polanyi.

## Early life and education

Bury was born in Brierley near Barnsley, England in 1932. When she was seven years old she won a National Savings painting competition and, at 12, won a youth club painting competition. She later studied Fine Art at the University of Reading with Antony Betts where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts. As a student, she was given brushes originally owned by James McNeill Whistler by a Reading University Professor.

