Vera Mabel Cottew was born in Brisbane 1902, the eldest child and only daughter in a family of four children born to Arthur Cottew, a foreman fitter, and his wife Harriet neé Simpson. She was educated at the Milton State School but her interest in art as a career was discouraged by her father. She worked in an office and studied at the Central Technical College at night from 1919 (when she received a credit for Design I) and received 2nd prize for a design for an art poster at the Royal National Association in 1921. She built a house adjoining that of her parents in 1924.

She taught art at the Brisbane Girl’s Grammar School from 1925 to 1947 becoming the first full-time Art Mistress at the School from 1931. Betty Quelhurst was one of her students. She also taught at Somerville House, Brisbane from 1925 to 1927.

Cottew exhibited oils and watercolours with the Royal Queensland Art Society 1930-42 as well as various items of leatherwork from 1930 to 1939. She shared an exhibition with Muriel Foot and Ella Robinson in the Old Courier Building, Queen Street in 1940. Her output ceased in the 1940s suggesting increasing poor health. Her death in 1949 was the result of cancer.

Research Curator, Queensland Heritage, Queensland Art Gallery

Writers:

Cooke, Glenn R.

Date written:

2008

Last updated:

2011