Ida Cooke was an internationally renowned artist working in various media, who was born in New Plymouth, New Zealand. She studied at the Slade School of Art in London, where she won a prize for life painting. She continued her art training at the German expressionistpainter, Oscar Kokoschka’s School of Art at Salzburg, Austria. She also won a gold medal at Academia Italia. During her career, she exhibited widely worldwide, and in London, at the Royal Academy, the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, New England Art Club, John Whibley Gallery and others. She later had solo exhibitions at Woodstock Gallery in 1966, Clarges Gallery in 1973, and Centaur Galleryin 1980. She resided for a time in Windsor, Berkshire.