Fay Godwin
Fay Godwin British, b. Germany, 1931-2005 Self-taught, Fay Godwin took up photography in 1966. Her early work was largely portraits of children and young British and American writers, artists, and composers. She is also known for her lyrical images of British landscapes, characterized by subtle humor and idiosyncratic subject matter. In 1975 Bill Brandt selected Godwin's work for inclusion in the acclaimed exhibition The Land at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Godwin has collaborated on more than 15 book projects with writers such as J. R. L. Anderson (The Oldest Road: An Exploration of the Ridgeway, 1975), Mervyn Jones (The Oil Rush, 1976), Shirley Toulson (The Drovers' Roads of Wales, 1977), John Fowles (Islands, 1978; Land, 1985), Ted Hughes (Remains of Elmet, 1979), Richard Ingrams (Romney Marsh and the Royal Military Canal, 1980), Derek Cooper (The Whiskey Roads of Scotland, 1981), Peter Purves (Tess: The Story of a Guide Dog, 1981), Frank Muir (Bison at Chalk Farm and Other Snaps, 1982), Allan Sillitoe (The Saxon Shore Way from Gravesend to Rye, 1983), and Patricia Beer (Wessex, 1985). In 1986 Godwin also published The Secret of Dean. Godwin (born Fay Simmonds in Berlin) has received a grant from the Arts Council of Great Britain (1978) and been honored as a Fellow at the National Museum of Photography, Film, and Television, Bradford (1986–87). She also received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society (1990) and served as president of the Rambler's Association (1987–90). In addition to her freelance projects, she is known for her workshops, lectures, and frequent broadcasts on rural Britain. Godwin lives in London. A.W.