A much-loved Chorleywood resident, Sheila Macleod Robertson, RSMA, passed away peacefully last Friday 1 May, aged 92, at Forest Village Care Home, Elstree & Borehamwood.
Sheila, a professional artist, lived in Chorleywood from the 1940s to the 90s. She moved to Edinburgh in 1995 and returned here in 2008, living in recent years at Hurstleigh Homes, Shire Lane.
In the late 60s/early 70s, Sheila taught Scottish Country Dancing at Ricky Grammar and then at Chorleywood War Memorial Hall.
Born to Scottish parents in London, Sheila attended Watford Art School and the London Central School of Arts and Crafts. She began painting in watercolour at an early age, and was especially attracted to marine subjects, although she also painted landscapes. She developed her own distinctive style of oil painting with a knife. Sheila has exhibited at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, the Royal Institute of Watercolour Painters, and the United Society of Artists. She has also had frequent solo exhibitions in London and Scotland. 
Great friend Pierre Bosdet says,
“Sheila suffered a stroke on Friday 7 February and her health slowly declined after that. We have all lost a lovely soul and personality, a kind and wonderful lady, but the other half, her 1,200 paintings, mainly oils but some watercolours, plus a handful of fab sculptures including wire ones, live on, so to some degree Sheila is invincible.”
“The photograph (top of post) of Sheila with the Royal Navy warship painting will be on her coffin at her funeral, and was selected as a very happy image of her with her most precious commission” adds Pierre, “The gent is Commodore Rob Thompson, at that time Commander of Portsmouth Naval Base, ex Head of Technology Royal Navy, ex Deputy Captain HMS Ark Royal. The painting is HMS Daring, First in class of the new Type 45 D Class destroyers at £1bn each. “
Funeral at Chiltern Crematorium, Milton Chapel, Friday 22 May at 1pm by invitation in person or via Zoom streaming. Contact Pierre on pnb121@gmail.com
